Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission Employee Reviews
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Money talks..
Buses/Subway (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 14 November 2018
If it wasn't for the pay, benefits and most importantly the pension, no one would do this job.
Long hours, terrible shifts, stressful work environment, micromanaged and as contrary as it sounds, no management support.
At the TTC you are just a number. Through your entire career you will be defined by your badge number as everything is based on seniority. As a new hire you will get the worst shifts. Expect no family life, no personal life, no stat holidays for at least 5-6 years if you are lucky. Don't expect regular weekends off until you get to at least 15-20yrs. Worst are the split shifts. 4 on, 4off, 4on. That's a 12hr day but you get paid for 8.
An example: I would report at Cowell at 4:30am. Take the blue light bus to Kipling to take the train out at 5:40am. Will be on the line until 9:40am and have a split until 1:40pm. 1:40pm to 6pm on the line again. That is a long day and you don't get paid for all of it. You get paid only when you are operating
Another downside is customer abuse. Worst for bus and streetcar operators. By the time help gets to you, the person is gone. Last time I had an incident, the management response was " with your experience, you should have been more aware of your environment." Someone swung a skateboard at my head when I stuck it out to check the platform when opening/closing the doors FFS!! Plus if we don't do that, we get written up and suspended.
That was the straw that broke the camels back for me.
After 10years I have had enough. Missed too much of my kids' life. My wife was basically a single mom.
Long hours, terrible shifts, stressful work environment, micromanaged and as contrary as it sounds, no management support.
At the TTC you are just a number. Through your entire career you will be defined by your badge number as everything is based on seniority. As a new hire you will get the worst shifts. Expect no family life, no personal life, no stat holidays for at least 5-6 years if you are lucky. Don't expect regular weekends off until you get to at least 15-20yrs. Worst are the split shifts. 4 on, 4off, 4on. That's a 12hr day but you get paid for 8.
An example: I would report at Cowell at 4:30am. Take the blue light bus to Kipling to take the train out at 5:40am. Will be on the line until 9:40am and have a split until 1:40pm. 1:40pm to 6pm on the line again. That is a long day and you don't get paid for all of it. You get paid only when you are operating
Another downside is customer abuse. Worst for bus and streetcar operators. By the time help gets to you, the person is gone. Last time I had an incident, the management response was " with your experience, you should have been more aware of your environment." Someone swung a skateboard at my head when I stuck it out to check the platform when opening/closing the doors FFS!! Plus if we don't do that, we get written up and suspended.
That was the straw that broke the camels back for me.
After 10years I have had enough. Missed too much of my kids' life. My wife was basically a single mom.
Pros
Money
Cons
Long hours, split shifts, no weekends, micromanaged
Pretty fair company
Signal Technician (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 9 November 2018
On average it took me 4 years of applying before I got in, around the same number of years it took for my co workers also. Nepotism doesn't exist here as the public thinks or, say. Very tight group of co-workers who teach younger apprentice, a lot of old school workers here too. Job security, Advancements, Pay, Benefits and, pension are attractive. It's a seniority system for when it comes to bidding on jobs so, starting here in your 20's is guarantee a spot in upper management by the time you're in your 40's. Everything here is by the books and nothing really gets pushed under the table as the union for TTC is very strong. Most of the bad reviews here are from operators because it takes a lot of patients dealing with the public sometime and not everyone has it.
Pros
Good environment, friendly people all around
Cons
Shift work
I am able to retire and go after my dreams
PAYROLL TIME KEEPER (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 5 November 2018
The TTC has given me many things. I am retiring early to start a new career in photography and film. I still have to work part time, unless I am working in the field I am interested in. Overall my 19 years were good. In the beginning you will have to work split shifts, nights and weekends. You will most likely work all the stat holidays.
Pros
Good Money
Cons
Hard on the family in the beginning.
great place to work
Train Operator (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 24 October 2018
long days split shift. learned to be patient. Just do your job. Most enjoyable part is meeting people. Loved working with my coworkers. lots of jobs to do.
Pros
some lunches are short
Cons
long hours
TTC Wheel Trans is a good place to work for
Senior Project Controls / Planner & Scheduler (Current Employee) – Head office – 19 October 2018
Wheel Trans has an amazing team of professionals and is a fantastic environment to work in, however, the IT department suffers from a management in disarray.
Customer Service Representative
CSR - Customer Service Representative (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 14 October 2018
$14 an hour is the wage of most outsourced TTC ambassadors (red bib) employees. Even TTC bus drivers get approx. $34 an hour range yet we get $14 for doing more customer service work in one shift than most of the drivers, particularly subway op's, have done in a week.
Employee benefits are minimal (CPP and EI only) in comparison to other, non-outsourced/contracted TTC employees who get several fully paid vacation days, yet still, complain that they don't get enough. TTC employees also get a free employee metro pass and a pax key but us, outsourced staff, still have to pay the fare, even when going to our assignments and have to wait for an employee to lend their pax key to use the facilities and break room (although some of have obtained their own set of pax keys...???)
Some TTC employees hate us because apparently, we 'stole' their union jobs, however, the TTC is to blame for outsourcing - we just applied to a job opening and were hired. I've been personally confronted by several TTC employees who think otherwise when using the 'unionized employees only' washrooms and break room.
The public is generally ok with the odd few disgruntled passengers. I find several miserable and self-righteous 'unionized' TTC employees to be even worse in their attitudes and temperament towards us, outsourced staff.
We are expected to stand for our entire shifts, minus an unpaid hour break, and even if we lean for a split second, we'll be written up.
Overall, the job is ok.
Employee benefits are minimal (CPP and EI only) in comparison to other, non-outsourced/contracted TTC employees who get several fully paid vacation days, yet still, complain that they don't get enough. TTC employees also get a free employee metro pass and a pax key but us, outsourced staff, still have to pay the fare, even when going to our assignments and have to wait for an employee to lend their pax key to use the facilities and break room (although some of have obtained their own set of pax keys...???)
Some TTC employees hate us because apparently, we 'stole' their union jobs, however, the TTC is to blame for outsourcing - we just applied to a job opening and were hired. I've been personally confronted by several TTC employees who think otherwise when using the 'unionized employees only' washrooms and break room.
The public is generally ok with the odd few disgruntled passengers. I find several miserable and self-righteous 'unionized' TTC employees to be even worse in their attitudes and temperament towards us, outsourced staff.
We are expected to stand for our entire shifts, minus an unpaid hour break, and even if we lean for a split second, we'll be written up.
Overall, the job is ok.
Pros
Paid Weekly
Cons
Where do I begin
no fun
Collector and Driver/Operator (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 13 October 2018
as wz indicated in earlier comments you really are just a number. And they do look for every reason to fire you, unless you are management. Don;t ruffle management it's a click you can't penetrate. They do whatever they want. They don't have to follow the rules only the lay staff has to follow the rules. Only thing good is the benefits and money. But you will have absolutely no life. No holidays with family and friends and not stats holidays. you will be working. the days are very long and this company owns you even when you are not working they are trying to dicate your life. its a rough road unless you are willinng to give up a lot and get very little in return for a very long time
Pros
the money and benefits
Cons
long hours, no family time, no work/life balance. low moral
Structured environment
Bus Operator (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 12 October 2018
- take the bus out of the garage
- drive the routes carefully
- interact with the customers
- most people keep to themselves
- hardest part is keeping up with the schedules during rush hour
- best part was job stability and constant pay
- drive the routes carefully
- interact with the customers
- most people keep to themselves
- hardest part is keeping up with the schedules during rush hour
- best part was job stability and constant pay
NDT student
Co-op student (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 10 October 2018
Great people to work with, hours are tough due to them being all nights, and work can become quite tedious.
The tunnels can be hazardous to walk down, due to loose rock, and deteriorating concrete ground.
The tunnels can be hazardous to walk down, due to loose rock, and deteriorating concrete ground.
Pros
Importance of the job and co workers
Cons
Extreme amount of overtime expected
Great for people that can handle extreme daily pressures associated customers/employees and time restrictions
Driver (Current Employee) – Scarborough, ON – 3 October 2018
Very fulfilling job but need to be comfortable with pressures associated to job. Not all experiences are the same. Some minor to uncontrollable. Great pay when able to get better schedule.
Pros
Bennefits
Cons
Own you up to 13 hrs a day.
Customer service
Customer Service Representative (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 23 September 2018
Assisted customers with route selection, inquiries and other requests.
Asked open-ended questions to assess customer needs.
Politely assisted customer in person and via telephone
Asked open-ended questions to assess customer needs.
Politely assisted customer in person and via telephone
Great career opportunity
Customer Service, Cashier (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 19 September 2018
Good people, progressive environment, great career opportunity and healthy work-life balance.flexible hours, decent pay and perfect temperas job for looking jobs
Pros
Hours
Cons
Nothing
get to interact with a lot of people
Customer Service Representative (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 18 September 2018
Great place to work. Career opportunities for advancement. Super people. Promotions and commendations given to worthy staff. Refresher courses always available to help you maintain skill and professional experience.
if it wasn't for the salary no one in their right mind would work there
Professional Transportation Operator (Former Employee) – Toronto, ON – 11 September 2018
Worst place I ever worked! They hire you and train you and then try everything in their power to fire you! You are just a number to them, say goodbye to all your friends and lots of family as you won't see them again for many years. Forget about attending weddings or funerals and don't even think you can attend a birthday party unless it's on a Tuesday or a Wednesday!
Pros
salary
Cons
everything else
get to interact with a lot of people
Customer Service Representative (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 6 September 2018
If you are a people person and can sometimes handle the odd angry ones then you will have fun
typical day would include manning the presto gates and on subway closures it is mostly directing the customers to alternate routes or helping them find shuttle buses
typical day would include manning the presto gates and on subway closures it is mostly directing the customers to alternate routes or helping them find shuttle buses
Cons
too much standing
Simply, One of the best employer in canada!
Signal Apprentice (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 31 August 2018
The environment is very welcoming and diverse. It's really a great sight to see such a diverse staff working to maintain and, build upon a company standards. If you're a young individual who's ready to build a solid career with endless opportunities. Apply to the TTC!. It may take 3-4 years of constantly applying for the job before you get selected by HR but, keep trying. Nothing in life worth getting comes easy. Great people, Unionized, Pension, Benefits, training, everything is done by the books.
Pros
Free transite ride pass for life, Pay, Pension, Benefits
Cons
Rotating shifts
Great place to work
Collector (Current Employee) – Toronto, ON – 22 August 2018
Great place to work. Career opportunities for advancement. Super people. Promotions and commendations given to worthy staff. Refresher courses always available to help you maintain skill and professional experience.
Pros
Great salaries
Cons
Long hours.