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TTC's Ducharme resigns
Jun. 6, 2006. 02:30 PM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
Rick Ducharme has tendered his resignation as chief general manager of the TTC, the Star has learned.
It is not clear whether the commission has accepted the resignation.
"I suppose he could resign, there will be more later," said Adam Giambrone, vice-chairman of the TTC.
"We haven't heard anything official yet," said Marilyn Bolton, spokeswoman for the TTC.
Ducharme was said by one source to be writing his letter to staff in the early afternoon.
Ducharme’s resignation comes as the TTC and its union are at odds over many issues. Workers went on a wildcat strike last week over shift changes imposed by the TTC. Drivers are upset at being assaulted when they challenge for fares and many employees are upset that they lose wages when they go on sick leave. Other city employees have their workers’ compensation packages bumped up.
Ducharme came to the Toronto Transit Commission in 1999, not long after the system had reached its lowest point.
Its reputation was still in a slump following a 1995 accident that killed two people and ridership was only 390 million annually (compared with 437 million rides projected for this year).
Ducharme came with a reputation at GO Transit for squeezing every last kilometre out of the system.
The professional engineer was as good as advertised, perhaps better. Ridership grew, service was tweaked to move buses where they were needed and local transit funding became provincial and national election issues thanks to TTC lobbying for a better deal.
New buses are being delivered this year and York University seems poised to get a subway stop.
Ducharme takes the TTC every day and likes to chat with operators and ticket agents. Sometimes with the media he talks too fast and trips over his words or mixes his metaphors but it’s straight talk. He says he cares deeply about moving people in the most efficient way possible.
His predecessor, David Gunn, left two years early. Gunn had called TTC management bloated. Ducharme, however, embraced the TTC’s management team. Ducharme said Gunn’s bullying style would have created a management of ‘yes-men’.
Ducharme wanted to hear ideas and kept most of the team intact.
He can also be quick to say when TTC service is not up to snuff, which often angers his political overlords, who often like to paint a rosy picture. But it gets their attention and Ducharme is often able to get results because of it.
Jun. 6, 2006. 02:30 PM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
Rick Ducharme has tendered his resignation as chief general manager of the TTC, the Star has learned.
It is not clear whether the commission has accepted the resignation.
"I suppose he could resign, there will be more later," said Adam Giambrone, vice-chairman of the TTC.
"We haven't heard anything official yet," said Marilyn Bolton, spokeswoman for the TTC.
Ducharme was said by one source to be writing his letter to staff in the early afternoon.
Ducharme’s resignation comes as the TTC and its union are at odds over many issues. Workers went on a wildcat strike last week over shift changes imposed by the TTC. Drivers are upset at being assaulted when they challenge for fares and many employees are upset that they lose wages when they go on sick leave. Other city employees have their workers’ compensation packages bumped up.
Ducharme came to the Toronto Transit Commission in 1999, not long after the system had reached its lowest point.
Its reputation was still in a slump following a 1995 accident that killed two people and ridership was only 390 million annually (compared with 437 million rides projected for this year).
Ducharme came with a reputation at GO Transit for squeezing every last kilometre out of the system.
The professional engineer was as good as advertised, perhaps better. Ridership grew, service was tweaked to move buses where they were needed and local transit funding became provincial and national election issues thanks to TTC lobbying for a better deal.
New buses are being delivered this year and York University seems poised to get a subway stop.
Ducharme takes the TTC every day and likes to chat with operators and ticket agents. Sometimes with the media he talks too fast and trips over his words or mixes his metaphors but it’s straight talk. He says he cares deeply about moving people in the most efficient way possible.
His predecessor, David Gunn, left two years early. Gunn had called TTC management bloated. Ducharme, however, embraced the TTC’s management team. Ducharme said Gunn’s bullying style would have created a management of ‘yes-men’.
Ducharme wanted to hear ideas and kept most of the team intact.
He can also be quick to say when TTC service is not up to snuff, which often angers his political overlords, who often like to paint a rosy picture. But it gets their attention and Ducharme is often able to get results because of it.
