The TTC is launching a full internal review and suspending its fleet of work cars after a second hydraulic fluid leak in the same week disrupted the start of subway service on Line 2, prompting what CEO Mandeep Lali called an “unacceptable” failure to deliver reliable transit.
Another work car operating during overnight maintenance leaked hydraulic fluid along the Bloor–Danforth line, forcing the TTC to halt service between Ossington and Woodbine while crews inspected and cleaned the tracks. Full service resumed around 7:20 a.m.
“For the second time this week, a work car operating during overnight maintenance on Line 2 experienced a hydraulic fluid leak,” Lali said.
“This is unacceptable. The TTC must provide safe, reliable service from the beginning of every day, and this week we did not meet that standard. I apologize to our customers and take full accountability.”
Lali said he has ordered the immediate suspension of the TTC’s work car fleet, except in exceptional circumstances, until a full review is completed. That review will examine both incidents, determine root causes and include inspections across the entire fleet.
Any vehicles found to be affected will remain out of service until the TTC is confident they are safe to operate.
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“Our focus is clear: prevent a recurrence,” Lali said.
The TTC deployed multiple response teams on Friday morning to inspect and clean the affected stretch of track, which spanned several stations. Lali said the response reflected enhanced safety measures introduced after the first leak earlier this week.
Friday’s leak follows a separate hydraulic fluid spill earlier in the week, when a maintenance vehicle leaked oil near Old Mill Station, forcing trains to bypass the stop for several hours. That incident required a significant cleanup and raised questions about the reliability of the TTC’s aging maintenance fleet.
The back‑to‑back disruptions have frustrated riders and renewed scrutiny of the TTC’s overnight maintenance operations, particularly as the agency continues to emphasize safety and reliability as core priorities.
“Ridiculous. Every day is something with the TTC. TTC = take the car,” wrote one X user in response to Friday’s Line 2 delay.
In December 2024, the TTC board held a lengthy meeting focused on repeated hydraulic oil spills and the operational risks they pose. A staff report presented at the time outlined several recommendations to prevent future leaks, improve inspections, and modernize aging maintenance equipment.
Lali, meanwhile, said the TTC will “move with urgency” and be transparent about the findings of its review.
“We will take the necessary actions to restore confidence,” he said. “Toronto should be able to count on the TTC to deliver safe, reliable service from the start of every day.”