TTC chair admits they might not fulfill customer charter

Watch above: Mark McAllister reports on the promises of the TTC’s last customer charter that have been left unfulfilled. 

TORONTO- The TTC is promising a more accessible, modern, and cleaner public transit network in 2015 as part of its 38 commitments to transit riders.

But don’t expect them to keep all their promises, they know they probably won’t.

“There will be items that we may not hit our targets on. But if you don’t set targets then you’re not going to have any drive within the organization, pressure from customers, pressure from council to meet them. We’ve met the majority of targets from the previous charter,” TTC Chair Josh Colle told reporters Friday.

“If we were to meet all of our targets, then we’re not setting them high enough.”

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The TTC has kept the majority of their promises however; of the 70 promises made in the previous two charters, only six have gone unfulfilled.

The commission released 38 promises Friday morning ranging from a more reliable bus, subway and streetcar service, more accessible services through ramps and stop announcements, and more transparency.

Some of the concrete promises the TTC plans to deliver this year include opening the new concourse at Union Station, installing WiFi at all stations along Line 1, putting new streetcars on the Bathurst, Spadina, and Harbourfront lines, installing redesigned subway maps, having proof of payment and all-door boarding on all streetcars, putting two new subway trains on both lines and accepting debit and credit payments for all products at all stations.

The charter is part of Andy Byford’s five-year corporate plan which includes making the commission more transparent and customer-service oriented.

The 2014 charter made 39 promises including specific time-based initiatives, various town halls, customer satisfaction and mystery shopper surveys, and updates on the performance of all streetcar and bus routes on its website.

On Wednesday, the TTC unveiled a safety plan, with calls to monitor drivers with dashboard cameras and GPS technology.