The Toronto Transit Commission is getting serious about passenger safety. Earlier today, officials from the TTC unveiled a brand new mobile app to help riders report harassment during their commute. It's a move that has been in the works for a minute now, but was unfortunately delayed this past March due to some additional "testing and training". Thankfully, it seems that development and incubation proved to be successful as the new tool has finally been released to the public. Aptly titled SafeTTC, the app is free to download and is now available on both the iOS and Google Play app stores.
Rather than hitting an alarm or putting yourself at risk, SafeTTC allows users to discreetly report unwanted behaviour and suspicious activity to the Transit Control Centre. As explained on the TTC's official website, the app's interface is pretty straightforward and very easy to use. Upon opening, users will be presented with two options for two different levels of distress. One can simply click a button and report an issue, or if the situation is more dire, they can opt to call the police— it's a helpful feature given that most cell phone service is unavailable in subway tunnels.
In addition to the mobile app, the TTC has also unveiled a new campaign called #ThisIsWhere to generate awareness and promote safety. #ThisIsWhere posters will be placed throughout the transit system, and each will tell the harrowing story of a rider's encounter with verbal and physical abuse on the subway, streetcar, or bus. They're rather hard to read, but you can get a sense of them by visiting the campaign's online page here. On the aforementioned site, the TTC sums up their latest effort with one succinct paragraph. "Harassment comes in many different forms and it’s an issue that affects us all. The TTC is dedicated to creating a safe space for all passengers, but we can’t do it without your help. Please, report crime and harassment wherever you see it."
