TTC: Customer Service

[Hanlansboy]

TTC Customer Service is quite accessible - 416-393-3030 from 7 am to 10 pm - 7 days a week. I've never not had them answer the phone (though I assume it must happen occasionally). And you can communicate on-line http://www3.ttc.ca/Customer_Service/Compliments_Complaints_Suggestions/index.jsp and at Twitter. Of late the response rate has been near 100%, and 100% if you follow-up with them.

I can only assume that you have either made up your story, or relating stuff that happened long before they fixed the customer service problem ... in which case ... why bother?

And really, a rude TTC driver drove you to buy a car to avoid rude people? I've driven in this city, and I've encountered some hugely rude drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists while driving. Your pulling our leg.

Not pulling anyone's leg, this actually happened. Granted it was over three years ago, perhaps they've improved their customer service, perhaps not, either way, I'll stick with my car thank you very much. I'm actually quite lucky, my commute is very short, I live in Rosedale and work at St Mike's, I face almost no traffic, as I start at 7 am, there is very little traffic. In the summer, I cycle to work when I can, so the TTC isn't necessary anymore (I also quit my second job, 18 hour days catch up with you after a few years!)

 

[doug]

Regarding the TTC's response ... well, if he yelled at her I hope they mentioned that wasn't the correct thing to do ... but otherwise ... he did the right thing ! Seriously, why should he let someone on who didn't pay, no matter who it is and for whatever reason (unless safety was at question) ! It say right on the fair box that operators CANNOT PAY !

Funny, I've seen drivers let people on without paying many many times..Usually dangerous looking people...however, this was an old woman, so the big strong manly driver didn't feel threatened by her....bravo for him! I bet his union is proud.

 

[nfitz]

Shouldn't all shift changes or swaps of staff occur at the end of the line?

No. They should be where appropriate to minimize wasted time. You frequently see shift changes at Coxwell. On streetcars, you can see shift changes anywhere. Not exactly sure what the deal at High Park is - I don't head through there often, but presumably it is either a shift-change like at Coxwell, or a timing correction point like at Chester.

It's similar to jumping in a taxi and then paying for him to drive to a gas station to fill up his tank.

No it isn't. You pay the taxi partially by the time you spend in it, which isn't how the subway works.

Not pulling anyone's leg, this actually happened. Granted it was over three years ago, perhaps they've improved their customer service, perhaps not, ...

You explicitly said that it was almost impossible to contact them. I've found it very easy to contact them, and their contact hours have been extended from 40 hours to 105 hours a week, and they have also become very responsive to both e-mail and twitter. I fail to see the need to complain about what has long been fixed.

You were complaining about service in the winter at this location here a few months and a couple of pages ago. I just don't see the point of raising more 3-year old service complaints by someone who has admitted they haven't used transit in years.

 

[muller877]

No. They should be where appropriate to minimize wasted time. You frequently see shift changes at Coxwell. On streetcars, you can see shift changes anywhere. Not exactly sure what the deal at High Park is - I don't head through there often, but presumably it is either a shift-change like at Coxwell, or a timing correction point like at Chester.

No it isn't. You pay the taxi partially by the time you spend in it, which isn't how the subway works.

I agree that all shift changes should be where you "minimize wasted time". But whose? Of course it should be the customer on the train! I think this is a key issue to improve customer service...customers time should be more important than employees. And this should be for streetcars, subways and buses.

Start and end each shift or timing issue outside of customers sight so it appears seamless (i.e. at the end of the line). If an employee has to work 1/2 hr longer one day and then 1/2 hr shorter...so be it. There should NEVER be a TTC policy or employee behaviour that impedes the service quality (i.e. short turns, shift changes, coffee breaks, chatting to another operator and this list can go on and on)

My comment for the taxi is one for service quality. When I wait for the TTC I expect to have a subway in 3-5 min during rush hour. And I expect to be at my destination in xx minutes. Both are expectations when I pay for service and service quality depends on both of these expectations being met.

 

[nfitz]

Start and end each shift or timing issue outside of customers sight so it appears seamless (i.e. at the end of the line).

It only takes usually about 30 to 45 seconds for the crews to swap at Coxwell. It's barely noticeable, unless there's a crewing problem (and there'd be equal delays by crewing problems at the end of the line) or the train is ahead of schedule. Surely the stops at stations like Chester, Yonge, St. George, etc. to reset the timing are more evident, and clearly those can't be done out-of-site of the customer (though presumably when they move to ATO in a couple of decades, at least they'd be invisible, as they'd presumably be done through minor adjustments at each station, and in velocities, rather than at the occasional station).

 

[doug]

chatting to another operator

this is always impressive. Two streetcars stopping to chat, blocking traffic in both directions, while passengers wait.

 

[nfitz]

this is always impressive. Two streetcars stopping to chat, blocking traffic in both directions, while passengers wait.

How often does this really happen though? Sometimes they slow a bit as they exchange a few words. But in terms of actually stopping and talking? Normally when this happens they are doing something, such as providing extra transfers through the window, giving information about an ongoing detour or incident, or the most noticeable one is when they both get out and swap streetcars. Sometimes I've seen them stop and get out and assist with a vehicle problem of some kind.

But actually coming to a complete stop just to chat? I take about 4 streetcars a day, and off-hand I can think of this happening perhaps once ... and for all I know they were ahead of schedule, and were going to be slowing down at the occasional stop so they didn't move ahead of schedule.

Don't get me wrong. There are huge daily failings in TTC customer service (short-turning and huge service gaps for example). But let's not loose focus on some very minor issues.

 

[Johnny Au]

There was one bus driver on the 34 Eglinton East route who created stories about each bus stop along its route.

For example, when the bus arrived on Banff Road, he talks about vacationing in Banff, Alberta. When it arrived at Bayview, he remarked about not having a view of the bay there since the last Ice Age. He entertained the bus riders so much that there are people recording him with a camcorder.

Here is the best one: when the bus arrived in Falcon Street, he mentioned the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars (and I mentioned Captain Falcon's Falcon Punch (his ability in Super Smash Bros; the character is originally from F-Zero)). Both of us made the crowd excited.

It would be interesting to have more bus drivers tell stories to entertain riders.

 

[doug]

But let's not loose focus on some very minor issues.

I take the 501 twice a day. For such a heavily traveled route, you'd think service would be a little better.

 

[Hanlansboy]

You explicitly said that it was almost impossible to contact them. I've found it very easy to contact them, and their contact hours have been extended from 40 hours to 105 hours a week, and they have also become very responsive to both e-mail and twitter. I fail to see the need to complain about what has long been fixed.

You were complaining about service in the winter at this location here a few months and a couple of pages ago. I just don't see the point of raising more 3-year old service complaints by someone who has admitted they haven't used transit in years.[/QUOTE]


Errrr....notice the title of this thread? Is there a secret expiry date I'm not aware of, I was merely expressing my own views and personal experiences. Yes, it happened over 3 years ago, back then customer service was not a priority for the TTC. I'm thrilled to hear they've greatly improved, however, my current lifestyle permits me the luxury of never having to deal with public transit, and based on my past experiences, I don't intend to for a very long time.

 

[nfitz]

Yes, it happened over 3 years ago, back then customer service was not a priority for the TTC. I'm thrilled to hear they've greatly improved, however, my current lifestyle permits me the luxury of never having to deal with public transit, and based on my past experiences, I don't intend to for a very long time.

Then why come to a thread devoted to public transit every 6 months to make the same complaints you've previously made, that are extremely stale-dated?

Though if you have such intolerance for the occasional client service failure by TTC personal, I have no idea how you cope with the road-rage out there. I've been tempted more than once (but fortunately never quite come to it, and usually resort to simply waving a single digit out the window), to get out of my car and give a piece of my mind to the idiot behind me, honking needlessly for me to move on, but not realizing the reason that I could not do so.

Quite frankly, if I'm driving downtown at rush-hour, I'm just glad my lifestyle permits me the luxury of letting someone else do the driving, while I harass TTC Customer Service in Twitter. Sure, if all my travel was in the middle of the night, I might well drive downtown as well!

 

[Jonny5]

I noticed the stop on Queen, westbound at York, has been removed, apparently permanently. Have any others been removed around the system recently? There are several other candidaes in that area.

 

[ShonTron]

I noticed the stop on Queen, westbound at York, has been removed, apparently permanently. Have any others been removed around the system recently? There are several other candidaes in that area.

Wait, what?

That's a good sign of things to come. The York and Queen stops were amongst the most useless of the redundant stops downtown. Does Betty still announce it though?

Edit: That stop has been delisted from the TTC's website (all stops tab, it shows up at the top with O O O O messages that suggests it's out of service.
http://www.ttc.ca/Routes/501/Westbound.jsp

 

[nfitz]

Wait, what?

That's a good sign of things to come. The York and Queen stops were amongst the most useless of the redundant stops downtown. Does Betty still announce it though?

Edit: That stop has been delisted from the TTC's website
http://www.ttc.ca/Routes/501/Westbound.jsp

Though if you press All Stops, it's there right at the top, with the 301 still listed as stopping there. It's also still listed as a 502 stop - http://www.ttc.ca/Routes/502/Westbound.jsp

So is it simply an error in the database for the 501 and correct for the 301 and 502? Or has the stop physically been removed and the 301 and 502 haven't been updated properly?

 

[DSC]

If we are finally getting rid of "useless" stops I nominate the westbound stop on College Street that is listed as COLLEGE at TORONTO GENERAL HOSPITAL(Sunday Only) 10192. The entrance to the TGH is no longer at this stop - it's opposite MaRS - and there's no pedestrian crossing.