Reduce TTC workforce, route services: staff report

A new TTC staff report is recommending the transit system cut hundreds of positions and reduce services on routes to cut a $101 million shortfall in the 2012 TTC and Wheel-Trans operating budgets.

The TTC and Wheel-Trans have combined operating budgets of $1.6 billion. They are expected to have a collective shortfall of $101 million in 2012. The recommendations would shrink that down to $29 million.

The report said that TTC ridership is expected to reach 502 million rides next year, up 3.1 per cent from 2011’s forecast.

Given each city department has been asked to cut budgets by 10 per cent, staff has recommended that the TTC make certain changes.

Some of the high-profile recommendations include:
– Staff reductions of 311 positions, which will save $14 million in 2012.
– Reduce services during rush-hour periods, which will save $9.2 million annually but may mean greater crowding and less-frequent service on 50 routes.
– Return to previous off-peak service on 60 routes, which will save $11.7 million a year.
– Discontinue transport of dialysis patients on Wheel-Trans, which could save $5 million annually. (However, staff should explore funding with the province to cover the cost of these trips).

One way to eliminate the remainder of the shortfall would be a 10-cent fare increase, the report says. Staff, however, do not outright recommend a fare increase at this time.

TTC chair Karen Stintz also does not support fare increases, saying on Twitter before the report’s release: “Just told media #TTC will continue to do ‘more with less’. No route cuts. No fare increase will happen until all internal options explored.”

Changes to 10-year capital program

In a separate report Tuesday, staff said the commission is projecting a shortfall of $1.5 billion for its $7 billion capital program over the next decade.

TTC staff has also recommended shrinking that by $725 million, which could be achieved by not purchasing 134 buses and 10 Rocket subway trains, among other things. Those two recommendations alone would save $210.8 million.

Staff is also recommending that the commission:
-reduce LRV order by 15 cars to 189, which would save $70.8 million.
-defer additional rail yard accommodations, which would save $182 million.
-defer upgrading of train signal system on the BD line, which would save $150 million.   

The TTC would need to look to the federal and provincial governments for the balance of $807 million, the staff report said.

brightcove.createExperiences();
The recommendations will be debated at a special TTC meeting on Friday morning.

On Monday, city manager Joe Pennachetti released a list of recommendations to help the city plug a $774-million budget shortfall. Eliminating the TTC’s Blue Night bus network, or making the late night rides a premium service, was among the suggestions.

TTC spokesman Brad Ross posted on Twitter on Tuesday: “For those who use the service, there are no recommended changes to the Blue Night Network,”

In January, Mayor Rob Ford suggested a 10-cent fare hike on tokens to ease the TTC’s budget burden, but backed down a day later.

In March, the TTC cut or reduced evening and weekend service on 41 bus routes around the city.