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“Born-and-bred Torontonians, we’ve got to support our team,” Mr. Kinnear said in an interview Monday, noting he has spoken with TTC chief executive Andy Byford on the matter: “If you’re in Manchester, you don’t wear the colours of Liverpool.”

TTC spokesman Brad Ross would not comment on whether the new design will indeed resemble the preliminary images sent to the National Post.

“No final decisions have been made about the uniforms,” Mr. Ross said.

The new uniform, to be rolled out in phases starting next year, is part of a “refresh and modernization” of the TTC, which last changed its dress in the mid-1990s. The TTC has worked closely with the union on the new uniforms, Mr. Ross said.

“Of course, you’re never going to get 100% buy-in on this kind of change… I appreciate the city loves the Leafs, but red has always been part of the TTC, so I suspect that red will remain a dominant colour in whatever the final design looks like,” he said via email. “And for the record: the TTC will always support the Leafs!”

Mr. Kinnear said while the union was indeed invited to give input on the quality of the new uniforms, it was not consulted on the colour scheme. If the TTC wants operators to appear more professional, he added, it should avoid making them feel “uncomfortable” in the uniforms they are required to wear every day.

“At the end of the day it will be up to the TTC… We have conveyed to them the dissatisfaction of our members [with] the colour scheme,” Mr. Kinnear said, noting he was “cautiously optimistic” TTC brass would be receptive.

The operator who spoke on condition of anonymity, meanwhile, believes the transit commission should “start from scratch” on the golf shirts, adding the TTC should have presented staff with several choices and sought feedback on their preferred design.

“The more morale goes up,” he said, “the better customer service gets.”

National Post