A TTC Streetcar Ride To Desire

“Why is the apple juice so smart? Because it concentrates.”

While uttering this joke at a party might get you a groan, it gets Malik Ataul laughs on his streetcar.

Ataul has been a TTC streetcar operator for three years and passengers and coworkers have come to appreciate “The Riddler” (a nickname he was given due to his repertoire of riddles). However, he’s also known for his jokes and friendly gags.

“For me, when people come inside my streetcar, I like to create an atmosphere where it’s family-friendly,” Ataul said. “When people come into my streetcar, I want them to have that experience.”

Prior to joining the TTC, Ataul was on a path to business. He said it started in 2003 when he attended Humber College to study business management, marketing, administration and personal finance. He said despite having seven certificates, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Ryerson and a certification from the Canadian Institute of Management, he struggled to find a job. He said he was often told he was over-qualified.

Ataul joined Best Western in 2009. While working for the hotel chain, he said he developed a passion for customer service.

A friend of Ataul’s told him that the TTC was hiring. Ataul was attracted to the organization because of the pay and benefits, but he said he was also excited about taking on a job that is customer service driven.

Ataul applied to the transit organization and he was subsequently hired in March, 2012.

“For about a year, year and a half, I didn’t tell any jokes,” he recalled. He was focused on learning the routes and mastering the operation of a streetcar.

However, on one crowded day, he went on the microphone to ask if the riders would “move back maybe an inch or a centimetre.” He said people began to laugh, so he hit them with a joke.

After that reaction, he went to research some more jokes that he could tell. And with that experience, he took on a new approach to engaging riders.

What do cows drink? Most of the people are going to say milk, but [that’s] incorrect because it’s water.

Although Ataul enjoys telling jokes, he also keeps a rigid eye on the fare box. During a recent shift, a reporter observed three people who tried to short change their fares. Another rider tried to slip through the back door unnoticed. He showed his serious side while quietly questioning those who don’t put in the correct fare.

Ataul is also a hawk when it comes to safety. He said he is particular about when he will take to the microphone depending on location and traffic conditions. As his streetcar crossed Lake Shore Blvd. W. at Park Lawn Rd., a man darted in front of the vehicle. Ataul took to the microphone a few minutes later to provide a public service announcement of sorts.

“Don’t run in front of moving streetcars … you might get killed. It weighs 55 tonnes, unless you’re Superman.”

While Ataul said “99 per cent” of the passengers enjoy the atmosphere he seeks to create, there are some people who don’t. He reflected on how some have complained to TTC management through social media. He also said he has been the occasional subject of racist taunts.

“I can be either disheartened and not do anything at all, or keep on doing what I’m doing and provide the service I can provide and still make people happy – and that’s what I do, until my boss tells me not to do it anymore,” he said.

Where does Ataul ideally see himself at the TTC later in his career? He said he would like to move into the corporate offices in a customer service role.

“For me, it’s about trying to change people’s perception.”