The Toronto Transit Commission spent $82.8 million on overtime pay for its employees in 2014, $5.3 million more than it paid in 2013, a report by Toronto Auditor General Beverly Romeo-Beehler says.

Absenteeism of staff, unfilled vacant positions, new capital work and other upgrading and maintenance work can be blamed for the increase, the report states. The headcount at the municipal transit service grew by only 2.4 per cent between 2013 and 2014.

The number of TTC employees who had unscheduled overtime amount to more than half of their base pay climbed from 106 in 2013 to 132 in 2014. Thirty-seven of those employees worked in the bus transportation unit.

The commission paid out $304,000 in meal allowances to its employees last year, an increase of more than eight per cent when compared to 2013. It also paid out $399,000 in mileage allowances to its employees in 2014, down $6,000 from 2013.

Romeo-Behler's report says one TTC employee claimed more than 10,000 kilometres in mileage last year, down from two employees in 2013.

The TTC has roughly 13,000 employees. Romeo-Beehler said TTC officials plan to fill some vacant positions this year, which should help reduce overtime levels.