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Honour System/Proof of Payment

TTC surface vehicles have a red panic button on the CIS console that when pressed automatically alerts police, fire and EMS as to the location of the vehicle. I'm pretty sure it's based on some sort of radio-transponder system as it predates GPS by at least a decade.
 
@ the rate TTC drivers get paid, they better do their jobs and collect the fare .... or they won't have a job.

If the TTC is already in financial distress because most of their revenue comes from the fare box, our transit commission will go bankrupt if the word gets out that you can ride for free.

Nonetheless, an honor system doesn't mean that the ride is free. If you don't pay, you're breaking the law. I think this will result in more TTC "cops" doing spontaneous inspections. I routinely see people getting charged for not paying their fare on the Queen car.
 
^ still doesn't make it right.

People not paying will have to be shameless bastards to walk right by the driver and not pay.

I see it now: homeless people walking through the front door (instead of the back POP door) with a toothless smile on their faces.
 
Isn't that the same newspaper that carried the fake story about the virgin last week on its front page?

Again, I really have less respect for the TTC union, which is now approaching the level of respect that I have for the Toronto Police Association. It's one thing to make it a policy not to challenge passengers who refuse to pay a fare when drivers feel their safety is at risk (which is quite reasonable). It is quite another to broadcast this in the media, with the apparent message all riders will not be challenged, not just in situations when safety is at issue.

It reminds me of the recent threats to conduct illegal strikes because the TTC proposed shifting the shifts of some employees, and exploiting a recent event in the process.
 
Perhaps this will serve as some sort of rallying call for other passengers to get involved when someone tries to get in without paying. (This could get disastrous I know, and am not advocating any specific behaviour...)

I just wonder if the fact that this is getting so much attention will cause something to change in terms of passenger behaviour?

On the topic of empty booths in subway stations: I have noticed that from time to time. At the Don Mills subway entrance I have found it empty 2 or 3 times with people shrugging and then walking through. OR upset that they didn't get to buy their Metropass. (ie. me)
 
More from the Star:

Link to article

TTC won't fight fares
May 25, 2006. 07:03 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN AND VANESSA LU
STAFF REPORTERS

The TTC is free, if you want it.

Bus and streetcar drivers are no longer going to make sure you pay your fare as a long-simmering battle between the TTC and its union erupted yesterday with a job action that could result in free rides for the public and the loss of millions of dollars in revenue for the transit authority.

"It will be up to the travelling public whether or not they want to make a contribution to the box," said Bob Kinnear, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which represents 8,500 TTC workers.

Rick Ducharme, the chief general manager of the TTC, called Kinnear's job action "irresponsible" while saying it was "premature" to calculate lost revenues.

But TTC chairman Howard Moscoe said he believed most riders will continue to pay their fares.

"I think people in Toronto believe in paying their way for the service they get," said Moscoe. "Our experience with the POP — the honour system on the Queen St. streetcar — has proved that 98 per cent of people honour that system and pay their fares."

This is the latest skirmish between the TTC and its union, which have battled over security issues, health benefits, job evaluation and, most recently, the reassignment to more night shifts for janitors. The union had threatened an illegal strike over the new maintenance staff schedule, which kicks in Sunday.

"To me, this is a backlash from that," said Ducharme. "He's using the operators as pawns on that issue.... There's no coincidence here."

According to a 2005 TTC task force on driver safety, 70 per cent of drivers had been assaulted in their career. Operators complain they are routinely kicked, punched, slapped, verbally abused and spit upon and suffer from mental distress, physical pain and worry about the spread of disease through saliva.

"Imagine what Loblaws would do if some of its customers started slapping or punching or spitting on cashiers because they were unhappy with Loblaws' prices of service," said Kinnear.

Kinnear called it a matter of "self-defence" given that TTC statistics indicate assaults against operators rose 31 per cent between 1999 and 2003, culminating last October in the shooting of a bus driver in the Morningside-Old Finch-Ave. area. in the northeast section of the city.

"What is happening to us is inhumane and we are simply not going to stand for it anymore," said Kinnear.

Ducharme, who acknowledged drivers are assaulted once or twice a day, said the TTC supports its staff and reassigns workers if they feel they can't drive anymore.

Kinnear said the job action would continue until TTC commissioners ensured no wages would be lost for drivers who are forced to go on workers compensation after serious injury or mental stress.

Currently, those drivers only get 75 per cent of their income.
 
Why don't we just put the drivers behind a barrier. All the buses in England have them. Just a little pass through to hand the driver money.
Click to expand...

I agree with this as well. There could also be some kind of barrier they could activate to stop someone from entering the bus.
 
Went looking for bus driver abuse videos on YouTube...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-ZgyXsqk8A
From Korea: "Bus security cam captures an unidentified thug severely brutalizing a bus driver who was apparently drunk and unable to drive any further as he was suppose to take a turn on the road. Officials stated that the bus driver's eardrums were busted along with 4 other injuries on his face and body." (Very disturbing footage)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCY39GWX3DY
Closer to home... "nemo tells off bus driver and flyers bus"
 
I would like to see stats on assults to bus drivers. I have been riding the TTC for ages. And I have to say that knock wood, 99% of TTC customers are just normal people going about their business and not causing trouble. The newspapers make it sound like TTC drivers are out in a war zone everyday. And I just don't see that. In the many years I have been using TTC, I think I have seen a customer cause trouble maybe maybe two or three times.
 
I have yet to see a bus driver physically assaulted, but I am sure that it happens enough to be a concern. I have seen bus drivers verbally assaulted at MT, BT and TTC, though. It isn't just fare disputes either - I saw on the subway telescreens on my way home from work a blurb that a driver was assaulted for not letting someone off between stops.
 
Courtesy of Ed Drass, an open letter from TTC management to its employees:

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - May 25, 2006) - The following is a letter that TTC Chief General Manager issued to all TTC Operators and Collectors about fare collection responsibilities.

OPERATORS AND COLLECTORS
FARE COLLECTION RESPONSIBILITIES

Yesterday, Mr. Bob Kinnear, President/Business Agent of Local 113 asked you to use your discretion in not engaging in fare disputes with customers that may escalate to assaults. I agree. You have always been encouraged to use discretion in carrying out your fare collection responsibilities. Nothing has changed.

As Operators and Collectors one of your responsibilities is to collect the proper fare from your customer. You use good judgement and discretion in dealing with difficult customers and you are asked to continue to do this. Nothing that was said yesterday should change the approach you take to your fare collection duties. We all understand the importance in collecting fares at the TTC. Approximately 60 cents of every dollar collected goes to pay wages and benefits. If fares fall short ofbudget then that only leads to less service, increased fares to cover the shortfall, or looking for more subsidy from taxpayers. Using discretion to avoid an assault is encouraged and supported. Monitoring the farebox for appropriate fare remains a fundamental element of the job and is important for theTTC to pay its expenses.

The efforts of the Joint Operator Assault Task Force to reduce the risk of assaults are clear. The introduction of the transferable pass, the test of timed transfers and the approach we have encouraged you to take concerning student photo identification are recommendations from the Task Force. In addition, the installation of cameras in our buses and streetcars beginning this fall should be a deterrent against assaults. Design is also underway regarding the possible installation of barriers around the Operator's position. A decision to install barriers will be your decision, as we will look to you to advise us of your comfort level with such a change. I want to apologize to you for being caught in the middle of this situation. The actual issue relates to the change of some maintenance shifts, particularly concerning shifting heavy subway cleaning to the night shift.

I ask you for your continued cooperation in the collection of fares and encourage you to continue to use discretion in carrying out these duties. None of us want a fare dispute to escalate into an assault.

Original signed
Richard C. Ducharme
May 25, 2006
 
There's a huge difference between utilizing your judgement to deal with a rowdy passenger, and letting anyone walk through a subway entrance without paying.

I respect TTC workers, I think it's a tough job. But, part of the job is ensuring a proper fair is paid.
 
Canuck:

Well said.

Speaking of shocking transit experiences - I just had one this evening on MT - the driver left the bus after arriving at South Common Mall, and all of a sudden a guy appeared out of nowhere, forced his way onto the bus through the rear exit, took a transfer right from the dispenser and got off. Not one passenger on the bus at the time said a HOOT about it, either to the flagrant criminal, nor to the bus driver.

It was mightily tempting to slam my laptop into the side of the guy's skull.

AoD
 
In general, the responsibility lies with the passenger to pay - in all cases. To suggest that the driver is in the wrong when someone does not pay is to neglect the full responsibility of those who use the system.
 
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