TTC complaints up by 15 per cent, but smiles will outnumber frowns by 2030
In a year in which the TTC had to endure any number of scandals (including, but not limited to, napping fare collectors, drunk driving, and attempts to bulldoze the homes of former TTC workers), it’s no surprise that the TTC would see an increase in customer complaints. According to the Globe and Mail, the TTC thinks a 15 per cent increase isn’t exactly good news, but it isn’t as bad as it sounds.
Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn and others pointed out that the increase in complaints is modest given that use of the system continues to grow. The TTC is expecting to log 476 million rides this year, up from 471.2 million in 2009 and 466.7 million the year before. “If you do the math, in context it’s pretty small,” said Brad Ross, the TTC spokesman.
Excellent idea, Mr. Ross. Let’s do the math.
If the TTC’s compliments grew to 2,756 (a 32 per cent increase) and complaints grew to 28,360 (a 15 per cent increase) and those rates continued into the future, the TTC would finally get more compliments than complaints by the year 2030. Not that we expect the TTC to adopt our idea for a new slogan—“On the path to net-positive reviews by 2030!”—but who knows? That’s about 10 years after Transit City is supposed to be complete.
Of course, projecting consistently growing happy feelings for the TTC is about as realistic as projecting stable funding for Toronto’s transit. One might even think they’re related.
• TTC customer complaints up 15 per cent [Globe and Mail]
• Complaints up 15 per cent against TTC [Toronto Star]
Privatize this service. Get some real workers in to do all of those easy jobs. Complaints will go down as hard working people are willing to do the work for fair pay.
The notion that privatizing public transit will improve service is one of those myths that persist despite the overwhelming evidence from around the world that the very opposite happens. In London England, as just one example, the private contractors hired to refurbish the Underground were so bad that the City had to take back the system and the taxpayers lost billions on the deal. In York Region, north of Steeles, as another example, a private contractor (French multinational Veolia Transportation) operates the YRT transit system and receives a tax subsidy of $4.11 PER RIDE, in addition to the $3.25 fare. In Toronto, the TTC gets an 83 cents per ride subsidy. So get your facts straight instead of mindlessly spouting the “Private sector is more efficient” myth.” Business may indeed do some things better (after all, look how the Wall Street investment firms did such wonderful things for the U.S. economy) but public transit is not one of them. Take a few minutes and get some actual facts at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAmnmehAy3w.