Cantankerous drivers, moribund managers and spineless politicians are all to blame for the crapification of the TTC. The case for privatizing public transit—an oxymoronic idea whose time has come
Fever pitch: tensions between drivers and riders have reached epic proportions (Photo-illustration by Gluekit, photo by Felix Poon)
Say what you will about Adam Giambrone’s youth and inexperience: before his career collapsed in a haze of G-rated text messages, the baby-faced boy wonder—who presided over one of the most unaccountable, out-of-control and inept periods in the TTC’s once proud history—had already mastered the art of civic politics, Miller style. Barely into his 30s, he was wise enough to know that nobody gets ahead at city hall by pushing for serious change.
When the TTC’s 9,000 unionized workers went on strike in 2008 (for the second time in two years), Giambrone quickly stamped out questions of whether riders would be better served by private operators. Aside from London, England, he said, “There are no major centres that run privatized operations—there’s a reason.” In fact, there are dozens of big cities with privately operated public transit, and in many cases those systems work far better than the TTC.
Then, last fall, when the TTC announced an 11 per cent fare hike and imposed its infuriating one-token limit, Giambrone limply said that he understood why riders might be frustrated. He even blew off criticism after phase three of the new St. Clair streetcar line launched this past December—two years late, more than double the initial $48‑million estimate and, if its first months of operation are any indication, just as tragicomically ill-managed and undependable as the old-school system. Giambrone applauded the TTC, saying that, while the system would always have its critics, managers there had taken “bold action” in recent years.
Yet by early February, as passenger complaints hit record highs and images of snoring ticket takers, empty fare booths and epically surly drivers went viral, not even Chairman Himbo could brush aside the Better Way’s woes. So he assembled a panel. Translation: he wouldn’t really change a thing.
We should be thankful for the sex scandal, if you can call it that, and what can only be the beginning of the end of Giambrone and (his mentor) David Miller’s reign over the TTC. While they clearly love public transit, neither man has ever been interested in fixing what actually ails Toronto’s system. (Miller recently, all too obliviously, called the TTC “one of the greatest success stories in this country.”)
The city needs somebody who’s willing to restore the agency’s focus on the riders it long ago forgot how to serve. It should start by replacing the TTC board with qualified leaders and axing at least a third of management. And then if they want an efficient, modern transportation system, they’ll contract out its operations to private bidders, or sell it off, piece by underperforming piece, to transit companies that have a clue.
Oh yes, privatize the TTC.
Then, when it inevitably does not profit its corporate owners (transit systems never do), we will be presented with the ultimatum, so often seen whenever private interests control essential public services: pay the difference (as defined by us) or we’ll just close it down.
The TTC needs to focus more on customer service, and it needs more funding from all levels of government – but what we most need is leadership (in the TTC, in the government) who can spearhead the shift in thinking from the “car is king” mentality that has for so long hobbled essential transit development in Ontario. We also need to stop the rampant, unsustainable expansion of low-density housing across Ontario’s countryside.
Private businesses should never be entrusted with essential public services. That is what government is for. Citizens elect governments to act in the public’s best interests. Corporate priorities are commonly at odds with public interests. Businesses want to make money for owners and shareholders by whatever means possible, whereas Toronto established its transit service because citizens needed a good way to get around town. What do these goals have in common?
Canadians are going to regret giving away the institutions that our own parents and grandparents built – energy, transit, healthcare, telecommunications, and so on – all because of the myth (promulgated by greedy profit-takers) that business can run everything better. That is, we’ll be sorry if we take the time to learn enough about our own history and current events to realize the value of what is being stolen from under our noses. Well, if we don’t, then maybe this is no more than we deserve.
March 18, 2010 at 3:15 pm | by SusanOh yeah, that’s why I don’t subscribe to Toronto Life -suggestions like this this. The TTC needs more funding from all levels of government. The government needs to realize and appreciate the importance of the public transit system. Ofcourse, magazines such as yours that are produced by and read by the middle and upper class of the city can’t possibly get it. Privitization is not the answer for the TTC -or for Health care incase you are working on that suggestion for next month. What does it feel like to be out of touch with the majority of people living a ‘Toronto life’?
March 18, 2010 at 5:04 pm | by RayTypically, the two posters before me fail to cite any examples or data that can show why privatizing the TTC would fail. For them, the answer of course relies on yet more public funding. As for being out out touch, Ray, most people around me despise the TTC and would likely agree to privatization. Funny though, we’re not rich—we work retail, make a whole hell of a lot less money than TTC employees, put up with the same bullshit (or worse) and are often late for work because of the TTC.
March 18, 2010 at 5:49 pm | by Alain LatourWhen I started reading this article, I agreed with the first two commenters – we need more funding. But with an open mind, I can see how TTC management has totally lost touch with what is expected today. The kind of changes proposed here do have to happen – if it requires privatization (at least at first) to budge (blast??) the current culture then maybe we should consider it.
(I live on the St. Clair construction line, take the TTC regularly, and both love and promote the benefits of public transit.)
March 18, 2010 at 10:33 pm | by LindaTo privatize or not to privatize, that is not the question. At least not at this point in time! How do we install a board of directors and management team that will ensure a level of service that is adequate to the basic needs of the transit users? Clean vehicles, lines and signals… regularily maintained and in good repair. Expansion plans that meet the needs of the users (i.e. subways and not streetcars). What is going to take? No one at TTC, municipal and provincial government levels are listening to the taxpayers.
March 19, 2010 at 11:51 am | by Patricia SinclairTTC is in need of a major reorganization starting with their leadership.
The Province should take them over completely with Metrolinx and integrate the overall GTA transportation system including the operation of main highways in the GTA area.
Transportation experts from other sectors should be brought in to implement modern fare technologies and planning expertise to stop the planned LRT’s and build efficient subways for the future of our great Metropole.
One does not need to be a rocket scientist to understand that when you build elevated streetcar lanes on Sheppard East, you cut the Community in 2 halves,preventing all left turns and forcing cars to do U Turns at main intersections.
This results in total traffic chaos like the one recently created on St Clair West.Riders are exposed to potential accidents with cars, streetcars and bicycles. This is particularily affecting seniors who will also have to walk longer distances to board streetcars as these streetcars will only stop at every second bus stop.
This LRT plan for Scarborough should be shelved immediately and replaced with the looping of the Sheppard subway with the Bloor line which would give most Scarborough residents rapid and efficent access to the South and to the North of Toronto via a subway line.
March 19, 2010 at 1:50 pm | by Denis LanoueIT seems like a lot of the riders are spoiled brats ,,if you do not like the TTC then walk or get a bicycle..be happy and enjoy a excellent CANADIAN transit system ..TTC has received many awards for best service in the world over the years …I have never had any problems over the years while rideing transit from the west end to the east end from the north end to the south end ….TTC IS THE TOP TRANSIT SYSTEM IN CANADA …TORONTO IS CANADAS LARGEST CITY ..SURE THERE ARE GOING TO BE CONGESTED TIMES THROUGH OUT THE DAY .IT IS A KNOWN FACT, THE LARGER THE CITY THE LONGER THE LINE -UPS ,ANYWHERE AROUND THE CITY,not just on transit….LIVE WITH IT ..OR MOVE TO THE COUNTRY OR THE PRAIRIES..WHEN RIDEING GOVERNMENT TRANSIT SYSTEMS ACROSS CANADA YOU SUPPORT CANADA.WHERE YOU LIVE AND WORK and enjoy your hard earned money on good food and drink..
March 20, 2010 at 6:07 pm | by BRIAN D SOKOLOSKII am not a regular TTC user, but my father was until recently. He thought that commuting from the 905 to Yorkville (parking his vehicle at Yorkdale) would be the cheaper and better option (for a while it was). But with the rising prices of the Metropass and constant service issues, he’s been driving all the way down there. I do think he is a bit overblown with his criticism of the TTC; when Giambrone was running for mayor, he went on a huge tirade against him and how terrible of a leader he is (and this was before the scandal!). I don’t think privatization is the answer, but it does need a major overhaul from the inside, as well as more support from Queen’s Park. I also think the LRT’s are a bad idea. The city really needs to look at more lines or at least extending the current ones.
And in response to Brian’s comment, saying that Toronto’s transit system is the best in Canada is like saying the ribeye is the best thing on a menu full of burgers. With our population we need to look beyond Canada and examine other transit systems that serve similar cities like ours. Toronto is a world class city, but the transit system has a lot of room for improvement, based on my personal experience with systems in New York, DC, and London.
March 21, 2010 at 4:37 pm | by HenryGood for you Chris Nuttall-Smith – it is a tough minefield of a topic, that you are addressing clearly.
The comments above are being made by people with friends and family working for the TTC, or people who do not deal with TTC employees on a regular basis. The real riders are all those folks that make way less money than the people that get them to and from work!
It is clear that TTC operator salaries are entirely too high – where is the employee turnover?? there is none… What other job would these very very lucky employees ever get? But instead of being grateful, they are mean, dismissive, and disrespectful.
If you really want to shake things up though Chris, just post a clear list of average salary for TTC employees for the world to see. you can surely do some digging to find that out. Do you know how many blogs would link to that chart??
March 22, 2010 at 12:47 pm | by jayYou mention 60k after 2 years… You need to go deeper, and follow-up with salary figures for ticket-takers, bus drivers, streetcar drivers etc… Maybe throw in their average level of education, and the average cost of attending post-secondary institutions instead of working right out of high school:) The public is dying to know this info, and this thread would lean a lot further in support of your excellent article.,,
Agreed, there is almost nothing wrong with the TTC, I have been riding it for years(17). The only issue that needs to be rectified is the lack of Technology, ie estimated arrival times for buses. I do not want the TTC to be put in MetroLink’s hands, why on earth would Toronto give up its Transit Power to a Provincial government. All of a sudden a guy in TimBuckTwo thinks the TTC needs a change and poof there it is. We should be proud to have such a great means of transportation that can get you to any part of this city at any period of time (day or night).
Sorry almost nothing wrong with the TTC, I do find it funny thou that so many people quip about the TTC’s ineptitude and they do even ride the dame thing, and now we have people making recommendations about the TTC and they don’t even use the service, Mr. Steve O’Brien and that marketing girl (who take the streetcar from time to time a couple of stops) let alone ask the transit workers themselves! I do agree that its time for a change at the top of the TTC, much like in many other industries, and please whoever gets the job, that he not be an accountant, engineer, politician, lawyer, etc and instead be someone born in Toronto who has used the subway for numerous years, only they can understand the system. Most of my friends who use the subway often have no problems, and we all agree most of the hub-bub is all political spin machine garbage..Leave the TTC alone, its truly fine the way it is, built by the people of Toronto for the people of Toronto.
One last thing mr Chris Smith are you even born in Toronto, or have ridden the subway more then 1 year, if not keep your recommendations to your over hyped journalistic Self, your BS is not needed here! And please “Toronto life” start hiring people born in this city!
March 22, 2010 at 1:05 pm | by Tim obrienIf i were you byJ, i would leave the average workers salary alone, Its people like you who destroy the middle class. If you start making an issue about how much ticket-takers, bus drivers, streetcar drivers get you will soon find yourself without any neighbors as no one will even be able to afford the house to your, left, criminals perhaps, but definitely not the average working guy. As for how much a bus driver makes, if you think its so much why dont you apply for the job, they are looking for recruits, lets see you drive a route for a couple of years while dealing with ungrateful passengers, gangsters etc…Again, MrJ, be careful for what you wish for, for soon you will find yourself without any neighbors!
March 22, 2010 at 1:29 pm | by Tim obrienSrry for being a little harsh…
March 22, 2010 at 3:34 pm | by Tim obrienI do have one question thou, if you had enough money or anyone who reads this had enough, would you not buy a street car route if you had the opportunity? Lets face it we all would buy it, and for one simple reason, who ever owns it, their family would never have to work ever again, and we are talking generations. And Chris, if you followed the money like mrJ suggested you would realize that Toronto is being Set up, and the people much like yourself are eating it up..The people never come out ahead through Privatization, and whoever created this firestorm is the one behind it…Now why would Toronto ever want to do something like that? If we privatize like Chris suggests what will happen to the routes where not alot of people take the bus? they will get shafted! as well, the price will also rise across the board. Im actually surprised that you did not research the price increases in all the transits that you provided? Considering the cost of the TTC and the value and scope that Toronto receives, we are in a very good position.
Tim-O, you are missing the point entirely.
People who ride the TTC and pay 3 dollars to a guy reading a magazine behind glass, make fa-a-a-a-ar less on average than those who work in these TTC jobs-for-life…
Clearly you are one of them… Good on you though. Enjoy your cottage up in Muskoka, or slightly further North, your ATVs, and 5 weeks vacation… we’ll keep commuting further and further away so you can hold the city hostage every few years, in order to put in a new dock:)
“Cannon-Ball!!”
March 22, 2010 at 3:40 pm | by jayYou actually think a guy who makes 60 grand a year around 37 after taxes can afford a cottage in Muskoka? Wow, let me know where I can afford that cottage, especially in Muskoka…And that 37 is far less after union dues, pension etc. and by jay, if we can create a system that allows a human being the right to hold a job for life, and provides them with a comfortable living, isn’t everyone better off? Granted the system is not perfect and there will always be rotten apples, there is always a few in every company, but to attack the TTC and the amount of money bus drivers make, is come-on. Remember 10 to 1 everyone knows someone who works for the TTC, and 10-1 someone in your family tree, long after you pass away, if we don’t privatize it will end up working there as well.
March 22, 2010 at 4:00 pm | by Tim obrienI agree Adam was a bonehead, and used his position for selfish gains, but so was the people who he was working with, whoever handled the PR should be fired, the people have a right to information as well as an explanation as to why certain things are happening, well in advance, it’s a human right, like fair hikes, token hording etc. I bet you if they(TTC) were not so worried about losing a few million to the very people who take the TTC, the whole ticket hording thing would never have happened, which means there is a rat working in the TTC and he too should be fired.! Any which way, I agree changes should occur, BUT I REPEAT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF PRIVITIZATION
And unfortunatly, I do not work for the TTC, Wish i had the golden ticket, but no…just a dude who lives in inner city Toronto, that rely’s on TTC for his bread and Butter!
March 22, 2010 at 4:03 pm | by Tim obrien