Subway doors open while inside tunnel, TTC blames trainee for “human error”
The doors of a subway train unexpectedly opened while inside a tunnel Thursday morning, prompting the TTC to investigate the “human error.”
The incident comes just days after CEO Andy Byford made a rare public apology on behalf of Monday’s slow service, which also included an instance of doors opening away from a platform.
It was just after 8:30 a.m. Thursday when a southbound train left King Station towards Union. The train was stopped shortly after leaving the platform because it was getting too close to the one in front of it.
Suddenly, the doors opened.
Confused customers waited for a short period for the doors to close. Meanwhile, the TTC cut power to the tracks and called in safety personnel to assess the train.
“We were able to follow up on our safety protocol, the power was quickly cut,” TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said.
After the train was cleared it proceeded to Union Station, where it was promptly taken out of service as a precaution.
Fortunately no one was leaning against the doors at the time of the incident, TTC CEO Andy Byford said.
“No one was hurt to my knowledge, but at the end of the day it’s a big safety concern. Doors are not meant to be opened off the platform,” he told the Star. “When I heard about it my heart sank.”
Byford said a new employee who was learning how to be a guard – the person who opens and closes the doors – was responsible for the mistake.
“He had an instructor with him – a very senior, experienced instructor. They tried to stop him from opening the doors at the last second, but he pressed the release button,” Byford said.
Guard trainees typically have a 30-day training period in which they “become fully familiar with door operation and safety,” Ross said. The TTC would not say how it is following up with the new worker.
In the first instance this week, doors were opened inside a tunnel near Dupont Station. Customers said they were perplexed but not hurt, and that the doors were closed after about a minute. This was also a case of “human error,” Byford said.
“I don’t believe there is a systemic issue, they are two isolated human errors that have happened twice in one week. That said, I’m taking this quite seriously,” he said.
The TTC has admitted that it’s been a bad week for service, and has since been working to salvage its reputation. Brad Ross hosted a discussion on Reddit Thursday afternoon to address questions about service. He has also been active on Twitter, answering customers’ questions about disruptions, safety and new streetcars.
The incidents come less than a month after the TTC introduced its new customer charter, a list of promises the transit commission made to improve service. One of the chief areas the TTC addressed was communication to customers when things “(do) not go as well as we would like.”
“We will be clear and transparent in our communications as to what went wrong, and what we are doing to try and make sure it does not happen again,” the charter reads.
While the TTC has offered explanations for both open-door issues, Metrolinx can’t explain why the 7:36 a.m. train at Bramalea Station may have started moving with its doors open on Thursday.
Spokeswoman Vanessa Thomas said GO Transit is aware of reports about the train moving with its doors open, but can’t offer any explanation of what happened yet.
“Bombardier is investigating to try to determine the nature of the report,” Thomas said.
Bombardier crews operate the trains under a contract with GO Transit.
With files from Karissa Donkin
