The TTC is reaching out to its ridership in an attempt to improve customer service.

At a news conference Thursday morning at Bathurst Station, TTC Chair Karen Stintz announced several initiatives aimed at bringing customers in on the big picture decisions historically made by TTC brass.

Included in the initiatives was a pledge to form a customer liaison panel and to hold quarterly town hall meetings, the first of which is scheduled for Nov. 24. Stintz also said the TTC would conduct a customer-focused review on fares and ticket policies in the near future and expand the hours of the TTC customer service line.

"Fundamentally what we are talking about is a culture change and at an organization like the TTC this doesn't happen overnight, but it will happen and it will happen with the support of the commission, the support of TTC management and the support of our customers," Stintz told reporters.

The idea of a customer service liaison panel was first floated by Stintz shortly after she was appointed to the job of TTC chair by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

On Thursday Stintz outlined her vision for the panel, which will be made up of eight customer representatives, two members of the TTC commission, one member of the advisory committee on accessible transit, TTC General Manager Gary Webster and TTC Chief Customer Service Officer Chris Upfold.

"Public transit is important and we want our customers to share this perspective and be advocates for the invaluable service that the TTC provides for all of Toronto," she said.

Upfold, who was hired in March to help improve TTC customer service, said he was excited about the new initiatives.

"The TTC has never been more engaged and all of these things just help to take that one step further," he said.

As part of the TTC's efforts to improve customer service, Uphold also said the request stop program, which had been available to women between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., will now be offered to anybody who "feels vulnerable."

"A lot of our operators do it already, but over the next few months we will be making sure our drivers and operators all understand and have the proper training to implement it," he said.

Applications for the customer liaison panel are now available on the TTC website.