TTC: Customer Service

[Le Gique]

Any idea what's going on with the subway monitor Next Train estimates?
Seeing "N/A" more and more, including when there are no line closures.

 

[Johnny Au]

There was another problem on the Yonge subway today, therefore no one is allowed to see when the bus is coming at Kipling station? C'mon TTC.

TTC to the public: Please don't be stingy. Use a transit app for Toronto on a smartphone with cellular data plan!

 

[W. K. Lis]

From the TTC's website at this link:

TTC technical briefing for winter preparation of streetcars
November 27, 2015

The TTC will hold a technical overview for media about winter preparation of the older streetcar fleet.

Where: Roncesvalles Carhouse, 20 The Queensway (Queen St. W. and Roncesvalles Ave.)
When: Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 10:30 a.m.
​

Guess they don't want a repeat of last year. Time to put on the winter wheels?

 

[nfitz]

The irony is, that the long-range forecast for this winter, is that it will be warmer than average. Even if it was average, we wouldn't have the issues of the last couple of years.

 

[salsa]

In August the TTC announced they will be testing external route announcements (aka "talking buses") on routes 7 Bathurst and 11 Bayview until the end of the year. In the days after the announcement, I tracked down 3 of the 4 buses that were supposed to be outfitted with the external announcements, but I didn't hear anything. Since then I tried again a few more times, and still no luck.

However last Saturday I finally got to hear it on route 196, which was unexpected since this route wasn't supposed to be part of the trial as per the August announcement. It sounded quite clear and comprehensible compared to MiWay or YRT. I attached a little audio recording of it for everyone to hear, though unfortunately the sound got somewhat muffled as the driver lowered the bus.

Transcript: One hundred ninety six, rocket express, to Downsview station, and Sheppard-Yonge station express

Not bad, but I think they should have make it less wordy. How about: One ninety six, rocket express, to Sheppard-Yonge station

 

[TheTigerMaster]

In August the TTC announced they will be testing external route announcements (aka "talking buses") on routes 7 Bathurst and 11 Bayview until the end of the year. In the days after the announcement, I tracked down 3 of the 4 buses that were supposed to be outfitted with the external announcements, but I didn't hear anything. Since then I tried again a few more times, and still no luck.

However last Saturday I finally got to hear it on route 196, which was unexpected since this route wasn't supposed to be part of the trial as per the August announcement. It sounded quite clear and comprehensible compared to MiWay or YRT. I attached a little audio recording of it for everyone to hear, though unfortunately the sound got somewhat muffled as the driver lowered the bus.

Transcript: One hundred ninety six, rocket express, to Downsview station, and Sheppard-Yonge station express

Not bad, but I think they should have make it less wordy. How about: One ninety six, rocket express, to Sheppard-Yonge station

Thanks for the recording.

That voice sounds horrendous. Why can't they use the ones on the LFLRV and TR?

 

[Amare]

The external announcements on the buses sounds terrible. I'd hope that they would change the voice before implementing it system wide, but that is likely asking for too much with TTC.

 

[PL1]

The external announcements on the buses sounds terrible. I'd hope that they would change the voice before implementing it system wide, but that is likely asking for too much with TTC.

I'm ok with the announcements, but they repeat every 10-15 sec when the doors are open. A couple of times I've on the 11 bus with the announcements when a wheelchair was loading or unloading and the announcement must have played 10 times. It was a bit much. But it's a pilot project.

 

[nfitz]

I'm ok with the announcements, but they repeat every 10-15 sec when the doors are open. A couple of times I've on the 11 bus with the announcements when a wheelchair was loading or unloading and the announcement must have played 10 times. It was a bit much. But it's a pilot project.

Presumably though, with the doors open sat in the station, you need the announcement to repeat every 10-15 seconds, so that those walking up would know what bus it is.

 

[salsa]

The external announcements on the buses sounds terrible. I'd hope that they would change the voice before implementing it system wide, but that is likely asking for too much with TTC.

You can provide your feedback online at this link. Or if you feel like venting at a live person, call the Customer Service Line. It didn't sound too terrible when I heard it, but I would need to hear it again before I provide my verdict, if only the TTC would freaking let that happen. I've been chasing down those buses for weeks, I made sure to get the correct route and bus numbers, but those external announcements were never on. Then when I finally got to hear it, it was on a completely different route than what was announced. Get your shit together TTC.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Presumably though, with the doors open sat in the station, you need the announcement to repeat every 10-15 seconds, so that those walking up would know what bus it is.

Oh my gosh. That will be horribly annoying at larger stations that have several busses in them.

 

[nfitz]

Oh my gosh. That will be horribly annoying at larger stations that have several busses in them.

Probably not as annoying as being blind and in a larger station that has several buses in it!

 

[salsa]

Presumably though, with the doors open sat in the station, you need the announcement to repeat every 10-15 seconds, so that those walking up would know what bus it is.

But how come YRT or MiWay don't do the same thing?

 

[nfitz]

But how come YRT or MiWay don't do the same thing?

I'd assume that ultimately, they'll have to.

 

[Voltz]

In August the TTC announced they will be testing external route announcements (aka "talking buses") on routes 7 Bathurst and 11 Bayview until the end of the year. In the days after the announcement, I tracked down 3 of the 4 buses that were supposed to be outfitted with the external announcements, but I didn't hear anything. Since then I tried again a few more times, and still no luck.

However last Saturday I finally got to hear it on route 196, which was unexpected since this route wasn't supposed to be part of the trial as per the August announcement. It sounded quite clear and comprehensible compared to MiWay or YRT. I attached a little audio recording of it for everyone to hear, though unfortunately the sound got somewhat muffled as the driver lowered the bus.

Transcript: One hundred ninety six, rocket express, to Downsview station, and Sheppard-Yonge station express

Not bad, but I think they should have make it less wordy. How about: One ninety six, rocket express, to Sheppard-Yonge station

I was on a bus today on Route 86 Scarborough that had the external route announcement system, I don't recall the exact bus number, but it was definitely not one of the four listed by the TTC in their announcment.