Side Stories – TTC Guides

The TTC Guide position was introduced on April 16, 1942; its original name was TTC Hostess. The initial purpose of the TTC Guide was to sell tickets and provide route information. Before creating the TTC Guide, this role had been primarily done by the TTC Drivers, Operators, and Conductors. With the TTC Guide, the purchase of fares and requests for route information at busy stops was sped up, and passenger traffic flow improved.

Initially, there were 10 “personable young ladies” who held the position of TTC Guide. The job had been advertised as seeking girls between 20 and 30 years of age, who were above 5’6″, and had at least two years of high school education. There would be a three-week course to learn the roles of the Guide. In the post-war period, there were almost 60 Guides.

While the TTC Guides’ primary function was to sell fares and provide route information, their duties increased and changed over the years. TTC Guides assisted in the origin-destination surveys done by the TTC. After the introduction of the monthly Metropass in 1980 one of the main roles of the Guides was to sell Metropasses at busy stations and stops. They were in attendance at various public events, and they staffed the McBrien Building Customer Centre.

In 1995, the position of TTC Guide was eliminated during a reorganization of the TTC.

 

Brief article about the introduction of the TTC Guide
Toronto Introduces Unique Service, Canadian Transportation
1942
Fonds 16, Series 2158, Sub-series 2, Item 22.

 

Group of nine women in uniform with hats and over the shoulder bags.
The first TTC Guides (left to right): Helen Allan, Olive Doty, Dorothy Sim, Jean Moody, Doris Russell, Evelyn Earl, Dorothy Percival, Ruth Martin, and Nora Maynard
July 1942
Fonds 543, Series 2476, File 1, Item 1.

 

 

Crowded bus stop with woman offering assistance to woman buying TTC tickets.
Guide managing patrons at the Yonge Street and Albert Street TTC stop
December 22, 1943
Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 14591 – D.

 

Four women in uniform with hats.
TTC Guide uniform. Miss Irene Ayers, who was crowned Miss Toronto in 1946, is second from right.
1946
Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 15471
Uniformed women posing for the camera and offering a fare beside a streetcar.
TTC Guide Thelma Clark
1951
Fonds 543, Series 2476, File 6, Item 1.
Advertisement for hiring of TTC Guides.
Headlight
1956
Fonds 16, Series 836, Sub-series 1, File 45.
Article title TTC Guides like outdoor work.
Headlight
1956
Fonds 16, Series 836, Sub-series 1, File 45.
Uniformed woman with older man in trench coat standing at the top of an escalator.
TTC Guide Diannah Stoneman introducing the TTC’s first step-and-go escalator to a TTC rider at Old Mill Station
May 1971
Fonds 16, Series 1253, File 1231, Item 1.
Uniformed women posing with a man for the camera. Woman is wearing a white mini dress. The man is in a suit.
TTC Guide Linda Barton at Nathan Phillips Square during the “Affectionately Yours” campaign
1970
Fonds 16, Series 1253, File 1146, Item 1.
Two uniformed women standing near display. One woman is wearing a grey uniform with burgundy details. The other woman is wearing a grey skirt, white blouse and red blazer with a red cap.
Guides posed at the TTC display at the Hotel Admiral. Alana Lynch, on the left, is wearing the postwar uniform of a TTC Guide and Debbie Watkins is in the new look designed by Marilyn Brooks.
[December 1986]
Fonds 16, Series 1253, File 2476, Item 1.