In a recent column, Toronto Transit Commission chair Howard Moscoe
said he would like customers “to know that the TTC values their
opinions -- and seeks out their opinions -- and I want them to take
ownership of the system. The way to do that is to open the lines of
communication, and begin dialoguing with our customers, and taking
their ideas seriously.”
Right now, the
TTC offers information about itself in a variety of ways, including
over the phone and on the internet. Those who want to talk to the
TTC -- to make suggestions or complain about a problem, or commend
an employee -- can write, phone and as of late last year, fill out
an online comment form at www.ttc.ca. GO Transit offers this method
of rider input as well, on their website www.gotransit.com.
Alice Smith,
the TTC’s Acting Chief Marketing Officer, says that the paper
transfers that are issued on surface vehicles now feature
information on how to contact the transit agency. Currently, TTC
customers send an average 1,400 complaints and suggestions per
month, and make about 120 commendations. Email is the fastest
growing form of communication between the TTC and its users, and has
required additional staff time to deal with the demand.
Of course, what
matters to someone making a complaint is the reply. Ms. Smith says
that if someone is not happy with the response to their comments,
they often contact the TTC again. She says that while the TTC does
regular polls of users and non-users, there is currently no research
to determine how satisfied people are with the complaint process. In
the last few years, San Francisco’s Muni transit system has been
required to conduct and publicize regular polls of both customers
and employees, to gauge satisfaction with the service and the work
environment.
Another way the
TTC actively seeks rider input is through an annual meeting at the
central reference library. Staff will also attend about 15 to 25
smaller public meetings per year, usually sponsored by city
councillors for their local communities. These sessions don’t seem
to be extensively advertised, compared to the annual “Transplan”
public feedback process of Ottawa's transit service, OC Transpo.
Another model is the “Listening to Toronto” public meeting series
held by mayor David Miller.
If the TTC
wants to expand the two-way dialogue, here are some suggestions. A
Metro reader sent me a link to a public forum on the internet, used
by riders of the public transport system in Auckland, New Zealand.
There is a place for comments about the transit system’s website,
and another for discussion about train and bus service. Contributors
are asked to register, and submissions are edited by a moderator to
keep things civil. Presumably, Auckland transit officials take the
time to read this freely offered advice about their service. In
Washington DC, officials with the Metro bus and subway system
communicate directly with their riders in a live online forum every
month.
In greater
Toronto, there are internet discussion lists about various transit
systems. They are unofficial forums, usually moderated by
volunteers, and most can be found on the Yahoo Groups service. The
busiest is the Transit Toronto list, an offshoot of the informative
website www.transit.toronto.on.ca. This internet forum attracts
transit aficionados and people looking for information about the TTC
and other agencies.
One last idea:
Perhaps if the TTC featured a “Frequently Asked Questions” page on
its website, as GO Transit does, riders could find answers to their
many queries without needing an individual response.
Auckland Public
Transport Forum:
http://www.rideline.co.nz/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/listings/CFB/1/forum/2
Washington DC’s
Metro system forum:
http://www.forums-wmata.com/
To join the
Transit Toronto Yahoo discussion group, click on “Mailing List” at:
http://www.transit.toronto.on.ca/
To communicate
directly with your transit service:
Contact the TTC:
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/contact.htm
TTC online
comment forms:
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/csc/customer_com2.htm
Contact GO:
http://www.gotransit.com/public/contact/go.htm
GO online
comment forms:
http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/comment/feedback.htm
Other GTA
transit:
http://www.findtheway.ca/