The Toronto Transit Commission has told its managers to rein in employee overtime in the closing weeks of this year’s depleted budget, which will likely mean some scheduled buses will stay off the street until the New Year.
“There was an internal memo issued to all departments to remind each [that it is the] end of year, we have no extensions for additional budget money, so make sure you don’t go over budget,” said Adam Giambrone, chairman of the TTC.
“There will be no deficit at the end of the year.”
To get there, however, passengers may occasionally face longer waits if more drivers than expected call in sick on any given day, he said.
The TTC budgets for a few more drivers to come to work each day than it has buses on the road in order to account for expected absenteeism; the extra drivers fill in for their missing colleagues to keep transit rolling.
Typically, if more drivers than expected are off sick then additional drivers are called in – on overtime – to complete the bus schedule.
“What this memo effectively says is, before you call that [extra] person in, ask yourself whether you really, absolutely need it,” said Mr. Giambrone, who was responding to disgruntled bus drivers who have complained about the change.
“Of the 1,600 buses used in the a.m. peak rush hour, you might have eight to 10 buses that will not go out because they don’t have an operator.
“There may be none [cancelled]. Although it is safe to say that between now and the end of December there will be some days when there are slightly less buses on the roads,” he said.
The impact of the overtime suspension is expected to be mitigated by the addition, later this month, of extra buses on key routes which is part of an extensive service expansion announced in February, he said.
The overtime suspension is expected to save the TTC between $300,000 and $400,000.
A spokesman for the Amalgamated Transit Union could not be reached for comment.
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