TTC Running New Surveys, Awarding Free Metropasses

ah yes...another TTC quest that will again waste the time and money of the many people who really just want a service that works better. TTC should be privately owned and operated. The fare price is ridiculous and TTC doesn't give a flying you know what about Toronto Residents...Unfortunately, no there really has the guts to cut off the problem tumors in the TTC that are making impossible to modernize compared to the rest of the world....

Wow, a free Metropass for answering a survey! Remember when that 15-year-old boy who risked his life to save a man who had fallen onto the subway tracks? He was given a free Metropass too.

Oh, TTC!

Would you describe yourself as?

Occupation:
Manager, Professional Executive Upper
Sales Professional
Tradesperson
Clerical/Service
Student
Homemaker
Retired
Unemployed

uhhhhm, none of the above???

yeah those job choices are dead weird.

This is it? The commercial leanings of both surveys are so transparent as to be laughable. When do we get around to some sort of satisfaction survey?

Indeed, they do reek of digital focus groupery.

I'm no fan of privatization, quite the opposite, but I really can't imagine what a private TTC could possibly do that would be worse... flood the entire system with floor-to-ceiling ads? Check. Price gouge? Check, whether they blow all the cash they get or not. Fail to serve customers' needs? Chiiiyeck.

I don't get why they call the surveys "interactive"... like, yeah, technically, I guess... you have to click things or nothing happens... but, like, which senior citizen is head webmaster for the TTC? Have they ever looked at any other website on the net? Do you think they even realize other websites exist at all?

First, I've cut and pasted the stupidest question on the survey (so far). Second, you'd think the TTC would have had someone read the survey over for spelling. I AM ONE THE TTC!!!!

Eg:

your cell phone works better when you are one the TTC than on the street

your cell phone works about the same when you are one the TTC as on the street

your cell phone does not work as well when you are one the TTC as on the street

Don't know/not sure

My driver was texting while driving yesterday.

Did you call him/her on it, Jordan? I think I would have.

In defence of the TTC this survey seems to be run by OneStop, dumb questions and all.

The only way the TTC could be significantly worse would be if it was privately owned.

rek, like I said, I'm inclined to agree in general... but I'm not really sure why that would be the case here. Maybe I don't want to find out, though.

As far as the Private vs Public debate: Hong Kong's MTR. Granted it does have a much larger user base, but it is the best run city centric metro system in my mind. Simple routes (like ours) and plenty of real estate in the subway stations that could be generating some income (Hello? Second Cup at Eglinton Station).

I've been a long time rider and a long time TTC hater. Let it go private and get the upgrades the system so desperately needs.

well here is the thing...in all of this....if the TTC could really get this picture...I don't like ragging on anyone or thing cause its counter productive...but if there is one thing the TTC should be doing is understanding right here...on this comments page how people feel about the current TTC model...it strikes close the hearts of everyone here..it is embedded in our lives...we want it to be..but we don't like it right now...and how much change are Torontonians willing to go through to see the TTC they wish it could be...ones that seem better in other countries...

the things i would like to see in toronto are...

? newly designed subway car system (Train & Routes)
? newly designed streetcar system (Streetcar & Routes)
? bringing more outside marketplace inside
? new branding for the TTC
? using technology to serve people a rich & beautiful
experience interaction.

If the TTC was privately owned, I am sure that the conservative government would be stumbling over it's own feet in a wild attempt to give it subsidies.

Of course when a public entity needs a subsidy it's no dice.

If the TTC were privately owned, you could kiss a lot of 'unprofitable' routes goodbye, and watch service cuts to other routes just to make them profitable (you only have to wait 45 minutes between buses). Private ownership means the focus is on profit, not service. If cutting service increases profit, they'll do it. And if you think the fare hikes now suck, wait until you see what a company with no competition will do.

Calls for the TTC to be privatized have more to do with the political bias of the caller than the faults of the TTC. There's nothing wrong with the TTC that can't be fixed with a more competent administration and the guts it takes to fight complacency and union bullying.

I may be outing myself here, but I went all the way... and went to work for the TTC. How much change can I help make happen in the short term? Not much just yet. How much change do I _want_ to make happen? A whole heaping pile of a lot.

But first, I must learn about the organization from the inside.
Behind the steering wheel and floating out on the west end routes....
Velo

I'm OK with operators texting while driving (as long as they're not behind schedule, of course). It's not like they drive very fast anyway.

How about they text while stopped in traffic instead of while driving?

I checked an ad-screen today and didn't see the status line. Maybe it only pops in under unusual circumstances.