Passengers board the 501 streetcar. (Canadian Pacific via Flickr using Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic)
By Issey Abraha
An advocate for TTC riders wants a seat on the TTC board.
Jessica Bell, director of TTC riders, wants the seat to ensure there is someone representing the red rocket riders on the board.
“We think it’s important to apply because elected officials don’t ride the TTC regularly and we feel we should have a voice,” Bell told Humber News Tuesday.
The lobby group seeks lower fares and better service for TTC riders.
There are a total of 11 seats on the board with four being reserved to the public. The other seven are reserved for city councillors.
“We are the ones who feel the impact of transit decisions, we pay the hikes therefore riders should be included,” said Bell.
She said streetcars are getting to old and can’t handle cold weather. The city is not getting enough money and more funding is needed.
A major obstacle that may prevent Bell from being on the board is qualifications needed in finance and business.
“We are the best voice, our sole purpose is to represent transit riders,” said Bell. “We want to represent riders’ interests at the commissions.”
“I think it s a great idea to have the TTC riders on the board, people have a lot of issues with the TTC,” said Nicole Totino, a paralegal student. “People need a voice to express their issues.”
Khadijah Webster, a Fitness and Health student at Humber, is hoping Bell can get a position on the board so she can share the concerns that so many other riders have.
“This past winter there were so many delays with freezing temperatures and service of the subway that change needs to take place,” said Webster.
Council will announce the new board members in April.