The TTC’s latest publicity problem? An employee urinating outside Runnymede station—or not
TTC workers behaving badly barely deserves to be news anymore, but the latest example to come to light is kind of hard to ignore: right outside Runnymede station last month, a TTC worker urinated in public. As is the pattern these days, TTC chair Karen Stintz has come out to apologize and say it won’t happen again.
The worker breached the TTC’s code of conduct and one of the transit agency’s bylaws that prohibit people from urinating on its property.
Stintz called the incident “completely unprofessional” and apologized to those who witnessed what happened.
“Given where we need to go with our customer service improvements, this is a setback,” she said.
Except that it might not have happened at all: according to a press release from the TTC union this afternoon, the worker in question was not urinating in public—he was just using his cellphone to check on something for work. This claim, the union says, has been confirmed by the TTC.
This, of course, is part of a trend that started last January with pictures of a sleeping TTC fare collector (who, it turned out, had a medical condition). Last week, the TTC had another snafu as a driver apparently tried to bully a passenger off a streetcar for complaining that it was late—an allegation that’s far more troubling than the potential public urination at Runnymede. Whether the events end up being contrived or genuine, the TTC is increasingly having to deal with the reality that, in the last year and a bit, all of its riders have decided they’re the auditors as well—and are willing to call the TTC on real or perceived failings.
The TTC got along just fine with a strong union to deflect rider complaints and a management that mostly treats riders as costs, not customers. But when everyone’s got a camera, and the TTC never knows if a rider’s going to snap a photo of something embarrassing, it becomes harder to get away with these behaviours.
• Report of TTC worker urinating in public is a “total fabrication” says union [Newswire]
• TTC chair apologizes for worker’s public washroom break [Toronto Sun]
• Bus rider ‘disgusted’ after TTC employee urinates on Runnymede station [Toronto Star]
• Further action unlikely after ‘unfortunate incident’: TTC [National Post]
(Images: Runnymede station, Anthony Easton; urinal, redjar)
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/ttc-urination/&title=The TTC’s latest publicity problem? An employee urinating outside Runnymede station—or not&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/runnymede-624x455.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_79447" align="aligncenter" width="656" caption="The entrance to Runnymede station"][/caption]
TTC workers behaving badly barely deserves to be news anymore, but the latest example to come to light is kind of hard to ignore: right outside Runnymede station last month, a TTC worker urinated in public. As is the pattern these days, TTC chair Karen Stintz has come out to apologize and say it won’t happen again.
According to the Toronto Sun:
The worker breached the TTC’s code of conduct and one of the transit agency’s bylaws that prohibit people from urinating on its property.
Stintz called the incident “completely unprofessional" and apologized to those who witnessed what happened.
“Given where we need to go with our customer service improvements, this is a setback,” she said.
Except that it might not have happened at all: according to a press release from the TTC union this afternoon, the worker in question was not urinating in public—he was just using his cellphone to check on something for work. This claim, the union says, has been confirmed by the TTC.
This, of course, is part of a trend that started last January with pictures of a sleeping TTC fare collector (who, it turned out, had a medical condition). Last week, the TTC had another snafu as a driver apparently tried to bully a passenger off a streetcar for complaining that it was late—an allegation that’s far more troubling than the potential public urination at Runnymede. Whether the events end up being contrived or genuine, the TTC is increasingly having to deal with the reality that, in the last year and a bit, all of its riders have decided they’re the auditors as well—and are willing to call the TTC on real or perceived failings.
The TTC got along just fine with a strong union to deflect rider complaints and a management that mostly treats riders as costs, not customers. But when everyone’s got a camera, and the TTC never knows if a rider’s going to snap a photo of something embarrassing, it becomes harder to get away with these behaviours.
• Report of TTC worker urinating in public is a "total fabrication" says union [Newswire]
• TTC chair apologizes for worker's public washroom break [Toronto Sun]
• Bus rider ‘disgusted’ after TTC employee urinates on Runnymede station [Toronto Star]
• Further action unlikely after ‘unfortunate incident’: TTC [National Post]
(Images: Runnymede station, Anthony Easton; urinal, redjar)){kind=link}
Does anyone believe a word Kinnear says?
Tell me, where can I get these cellphones that leave a trail of liquid against the wall?
wow, exciting reporting going on here. I think the TTC has serious issues, but one of the major ones has to be shoddy, unsubstantiated reporting and media frenzy, which feeds into completely out to lunch blog sites run by amateurs (no offence) that have no problem “reporting” any claims made by any other media outlets that are in any way provocative. Screw reality man! Sad times indeed.
The TTC still does not understand the concept of customer service. A perceived failing in a customer’s eyes is always a real failing on the company’s part.
sK: what does that even mean? If a customer believes someone is pissing on a wall, even if he’s not, it doesn’t matter, he still is? Makes sense to me (rolls eyes). I just heard a salesperson at the LCBO make a flip remark to a paying customer, and as a result I think the entire LCBO, heck the entire provincial government has serious customer service issues. And I’ve seen a dude looking really tired, I swear he was just napping in the back…. Report that! I’m totally telling the truth man.
Since the reporting of these incidents is either false or have proven to be exaggerated- and the fact you won’t let poor George(the sleeping collector) Rest in Peace- He was on heart medication and the pressure basically killed him. I hope that many of you are proud of yourselves for painting all operators(to which I am one) with the same brush. All that is happening is that we are doing the same- We observe the worst and apply it to all passengers now. So yup the rules will be applied to everyone and we will no longer intervene in dangerous situations-Such as the Time I pulled some scumbag off a female passenger he was trying to sexually assault. Now we are content to observe and report and wait for police. I would like you all to remember one thing: You brought this on yourselves Scumbags! We apologize for the delay- well not really since most of you Scumbags cause em!