Faulty, aging equipment to blame for spike in TTC fuel spills: report

Faulty and aging equipment was to blame for nearly all of the eight hydraulic fuel spills on the TTC in the first five months of 2024, a new report finds, noting a steep increase in spills compared to previous years.

The TTC's maintenance reporting system is also failing to flag some work car components that need to be replaced, according to the report by rail industry experts from Hatch, a consulting group. 

"We're paying the price today for investments that have been delayed in past years," said Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of advocacy group TTCriders. 

The report said that not having clear records and documentation for the design and maintenance of the work car fleet is a major issue. 

Maintenance and inspection intervals and criteria are unavailable for several components, it added. 

The TTC commissioned the report, released on Tuesday, after a hydraulic fuel spill on May 13 shut down service on Line 2 for 12 hours. The incident was the most disruptive of a surge in spills early this year. 

From 2019 to 2023, only four hydraulic leak incidents were reported on the TTC, the report said. 

Hatch made several recommendations to the transit agency, including that it improve standard maintenance practices and procedures for work car maintenance tasks. 

The TTC should also establish a more detailed inspection regimen for work car system components, it said. 

Improved record keeping combined with a defined maintenance and inspection routine would help address frequent component failures, the report says. 

The report said "misunderstandings" between the TTC and on-site personnel on May 13 kept the spill from being effectively contained. 

Hatch recommended the transit agency develop comprehensive guidelines for coordination between work crews, managers and the TTC when responding to spills.

Coun. Alejandra Bravo, who represents Ward 9—Davenport, said people throughout the region use the TTC and it needs urgent support. 

"[The TTC] is a spinal column for transportation," she said. 

TTC accepting all recommendations 

On Tuesday, the city also published a separate peer review by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) into service disruptions, including the eight leaks, requested by former TTC CEO Rick Leary. 

Work car cleaning is not being done at every scheduled service interval, which could make it easier to identify wear or damage on components before a failure, the review said.

The TTC has accepted all recommendations by Hatch and APTA, staff said in their summary of the two reports. 

Both reports will be presented to the TTC Board next Tuesday. 

Neither report found evidence suggesting the eight leaks or any other incidents they investigated were intentionally caused or the result of "sabotage," staff said.