How the TTC’s new chair plans to take the wheel

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Only months ago, Josh Colle was questioning whether the Toronto Transit Commission's oversight body even served a purpose. Now the veteran councillor has been tasked with leading the transit board, one of the most high-profile political roles in Toronto.

In an interview this week, Mr. Colle said that he had been disgruntled by what he saw as a lack of proper governance on the TTC board. Now that he's in charge, he plans to put the transit agency on a shorter leash.

"There were too many times where – and I was only on [the board] for two years – where a report would land on our desks and that was the first time you'd laid eyes on it," he said. "I just think that was happening too often and I think that we have to be more hands-on."

Oversight of the Toronto Transit Commission is done by a board made up of seven councillors and four civilian members. On Wednesday Mr. Colle's role as chair was approved by council.

The new chair said that his priorities were increasing bus service, speeding up the full rollout of the Presto smart-card payment system and helping stickhandle the rail expansion plan that Mayor John Tory dubbed Smart Track during the campaign.

He takes the role at a time when the TTC is regularly breaking records for the number of daily riders. Operational issues have often taken a back seat amid endless political debates about transit expansion, though, leaving the transit agency to struggle to keep up with its climbing ridership. Complicating matters, Mr. Tory campaigned on a fare freeze next year.

In a positive sign, though, on Friday the TTC projected a $17.8-million operating surplus for the 2014 budget year.

Mr. Colle said he wants to be an "activist" chair, leading the board to a greater role in setting priorities and scrutinizing the budget. He used the example of staff putting forward an unprioritized wish list as a case of the board not getting enough information.

"You're the pros, so tell us which is more critical. The answer is often, 'Well, they all are.' You can't. We don't have unlimited resources," he said. "One thing I think has been lacking is a matrix or a set of metrics through which those are measured, so that decision can be made."

TTC head Andy Byford said they were working on the sort of criteria that would allow the transit agency to explain why one project or improvement would be more valuable than another. He also welcomed Mr. Colle's more engaged approach.

"The actual nitty-gritty of the operations should be left to the CEO and his team, because those are line issues. We'll deal with the operational minutiae. The big picture is good to develop with the board," he said.

"I don't think it will be some kind of imposition, I think it will be a very healthy thing that we will jointly develop policy and jointly develop what needs to be delivered in the following year."

Toronto blogger and transit expert Steve Munro said this could be a breath of fresh air on a board he characterized as having fallen short since vigorous discussions during the days of Adam Giambrone, who was chair from 2006 to 2010.

"I think [the TTC] more or less was able to do what it wanted to do as long as staff didn't do anything to embarrass the commission," he said.

Mr. Munro welcomed a more hands-on board, but he wondered whether the incoming slate would have the spine to stand up for transit.

"An activist commission means that the commission councillors come to council and say to the mayor, 'Hi there, we need X amount of money, and don't talk to us about your wonderful transit program unless you're prepared to supply it,'" he said.

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Advice from the veterans: Past chairs of the TTC offer their guidance

Adam Giambrone (2006-2010)
The TTC's employees look for the chair to set the tone and for leadership.

Embrace the organization and work with it, even if at times this is frustrating. A good example of this is changing how bus routes and streetcar routes are managed. The process involves many internal stakeholder groups and changes to culture, which is always hard.

The chair must always be the city's leading transit advocate. While much of what needs to be done is clear, don't be insular. Draw on the wealth of expertise from other jurisdictions.

Transit is not an ordinary business. Financial sustainability is an absolute must, but accountability and transparency also means a commitment to good service.

Karen Stintz (2010-2014)
The key initiative for Chair Colle will be the expedited implementation of Presto, the electronic fare card.

There will be many benefits for transit riders once Presto is implemented– no more line-ups to get monthly passes, greater ease of access onto the system and greater opportunities for TTC riders to use Go Transit and other regional transit systems to improve commuting. The province has invested heavily in Presto and ongoing political leadership will be required to ensure that electronic fare card is implemented quickly and efficiently across the system.

Currently there is no political champion for Presto. Its implementation is being muddled by the TTC and Metrolinx, two large bureaucratic agencies. Each agency deflects delays to the other and ultimately the customers pay the price. A motivated chair can break through the red tape and bureaucratic hurdles to ensure customers can tap on and tap off with ease.

Maria Augimeri (2014)
The TTC is a public service, not a for-profit enterprise. To keep this focus, the TTC rider should always be on your mind. The policy masters may change every four years but the riders will always be there. The person who waits 35 minutes for a bus then sees three come at the same time. The shift worker who uses the TTC as much for safe company on the way home as she does for a way from A to B. The former Wheel-Trans riders who now have to use conventional service to get to their dialysis appointment. Make sure you keep in mind that they are the ones who matter.

Second, let staff do their job. Meet with them frequently to set your goals and agenda, but let them do their job to help execute those goals. They are experts for a reason.

Third, trust in your workers. Through the tours I've made of our facilities, I have found the workers extremely loyal, hard-working and dedicated. They move mountains for Toronto.

Submissions have been condensed and edited.