Facebook can be a wonderful and informative tool.
Lots of TTC riders are frustrated with the frequent delays in TTC service. Here is just one disruption example posted on the TTC's Facebook status...
Toronto Transit Commission: Due to a smell of smoke at track level at Christie Stn, there is currently no service from Jane to Broadview Stns. Shuttle buses are running.
Several comments followed from Toronto Facebook users. And the TTC responded quickly.
Toronto Transit Commission: Smoke at track level can come from a variety of sources including mechanical problems on a train, leaves blowing through the tunnel in the fall, newspapers that blow around, or, in this case – the delay at Christie Station was caused by a fire at street level. The smoke was sucked through our fans down to track level. If we see haze in the tunnel or smell smoke, we stop service until fire and TTC crews have cleared the area. Safety is our number one priority. Limited characters for our text E-alerts and Tweets prevent us from giving all the details.
A near instant response from the TTC on an issue customers are concerned about! We asked if there was a place where service delays like this are documented that could be made available to the public. This was quickly followed up by a message from Brad Ross, the TTC's Director of Corporate Communications.
Brad Ross: I'm sure we could provide these stats, as TFS [Toronto Fire Services] attends each occurrence.
Shortly after...
Toronto Transit Commission: Here are the "smoke at track level" statistics for 2009: - 62% of “smoke at track level” delays in 2009 were caused by external sources (fire on the surface routes that we can smell in the station, etc) - 38% were caused by garbage at track level or mechanical problems - Average is about 5 per week and 11min per delay.
I'd encourage all TTC riders to follow the TTC (and Brad Ross) on Facebook and/or Twitter. This level of customer service will likely impress you.
Just yesterday TTC Chair mused about this same issue in his Facebook status...
Adam Giambrone: Just read a report that indicates that TTC removes 100 bags of garbage from track level everyday. This is why TTC has small fires at track level roughly twice a week that cause delays.
This is just one of the many questions we need answered by the TTC. Let us know what you want to ask the TTC by emailing us at [email protected]. The more we all speak up the better the TTC will be.
February 7, 2025 (Toronto, ON) – TTCriders, a membership-based transit advocacy group, released the following statement in response to Premier Ford’s promise that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open in 2025.
(Toronto, ON) – Transit advocacy organization TTCriders will hold a rally on February 19, 2025 to call for answers about the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT projects and ask all provincial parties to commit to solutions for more reliable transit.
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