It is recommended that the Commission:
1. Approve the following changes to the forthcoming order of 220 Orion VII buses, based on input gained from customer research:
· replace eight forward-facing seats with six inward-facing (perimeter) seats in the rear section of the bus;
· provide padded seats throughout the bus;
· install additional stanchions and stop-request buttons in the rear section of the bus;
2. Note that:
· the changes recommended in this report are those which staff believe can be incorporated into the design of the forthcoming order of Orion VII buses, but do not necessarily represent the best or final design for this bus;
· the TTC’s Vehicle Design staff will continue to do further work and research aimed at making the Orion VII bus more customer-friendly, including additional public consultation, pertaining to seating configuration, styles of seats, design and height of hand-holds, window operation, interior colours and materials, destination signage, and other design features, for possible incorporation into the retrofitting of the existing fleet of Orion VII buses, and into future bus orders and other vehicles such as streetcars;