After self-grading backfires, councillors ask for more from London Transit

When it comes to London Transit Commission (LTC) grading its own performance, some London city councillors are giving them a big "F".

On Tuesday, council's Civic Works Committee passed a motion asking the LTC to review its own grading criteria "with a particular focus being given to service delivery standards."

The motion comes after council in July effectively rejected the LTC's annual report for 2022, in which the commission bosses gave themselves grades of "good" and "satisfactory" in categories such as providing a "valued mobility choice" and demonstrating fiscal responsibility. 

That triggered a sharp backlash not only from councillors but also from transit users. Particularly angered were riders who use paratransit, the LTC's service for users with disabilities which is contracted out through Voyago. Paratransit has struggled to meet riders' needs, including shortcomings with its online ride-booking system among other problems. 

'Troubling' service failures

LTC board chair Sheryl Rooth defended the 2022 annual report in Tuesday's presentation. She said the service has managed to keep operating while dealing with everything from staffing problems, to supply chain issues lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Vehicles we ordered a year ago still have not arrived," she told the committee. "We're aware that there are gaps. We are working on them. That's why we have the satisfactory grading that we do. We did the best we could with what we had."

Jeff Preston is an associate professor in disability studies at King's University College and has been a vocal critic of paratransit. He spoke to the committee via video chat and pointed out that many of the LTC's problems have long predated the pandemic. 

Preston also said good grades in the LTC's annual report don't align with the problems users are experiencing.

"I question the adequacy of this self-evaluation tool in capturing the lived realities of paratransit users," he said. "The volume of emails and phone calls that I've received this summer from riders reporting service failures ... is troubling." 

Preston said a frequent frustration is a lack of clear answers from LTC managers to questions about when specific service improvements are coming. 

Rooth told the committee some of those improvements are imminent. She said smart card readers for paratransit vehicles are expected to come in the first quarter of 2024. Fixes to the paratransit online booking system, however, won't be as easy. Rooth said the system in place now has been sold to a new company that uses a different software. 

"They'll maintain the system but they will not add the things that we need," she said. "We are right now assessing our options, we will be replacing that software."

She said any new system will have online booking, real-time arrival notification via text and equal access for telephone users. 

Rooth said weekday LTC ridership is up 20 per cent over last year and that new buses for paratransit service are on the way. She said the new models use ramps instead of lifts and don't require specialized licensing for drivers. 

'Serious problem'

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis said he supports changes to how LTC grades itself, and said he expects to see improvements next year in both paratransit and the transit system's regular service. 

"I can support this as a good first step," he said. "But what we've heard loud and clear from members of council and the community is that we have a serious problem here that needs to be addressed so let's start today by approving this and taking that first step."