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OC Transpo Information
- Ward 3 Office
- Oct 24, 2024
- 13 min read
From the Ward 3 Office
Bold = new/most recent
Key Updates
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OC Transpo Fall Update (October 10, 2024)
OC Transpo fall service begins Sunday, August 25
OC Transpo’s fall service begins Sunday, August 25. This fall, changes will include the return of school service, seasonal service changes and other adjustments.
New fall schedules are available on octranspo.com. Before heading out, use the Travel Planner or Transit app to plan your trip.
Seasonal Service Changes
The frequency of Line 2 buses, Route 7, and Route 25 will increase to accommodate the seasonal return of higher ridership. Line 2 buses will run every 10 minutes during peak travel times and every 12 minutes during midday and evenings. Additional Line 2 bus trips will run at busier class times.
Labour Day, Monday, September 2, will be the last day of summer weekend service on Route 125 to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Route 139 to Petrie Island, and Route 185 to the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.
Work on Ottawa roads this fall may lead to service delays and detours on some routes. Up-to-date information on affected bus routes and stops can be found on OC Transpo’s Alerts Page.
School service
School trips on regular routes and school routes in the 600-series will resume.
Some changes to school service have been made based on observed ridership levels and in consultation with school boards and their student transportation authorities. Full details are available on octranspo.com.
Service adjustments
Starting Monday, August 26, O-Train Line 1 will run every 10 minutes from approximately 9 am to 3 pm and 6:30 to 9:30 pm on weekdays. Peak-period and weekend service remain unchanged. The full detailed schedule is available on octranspo.com. These service adjustments better reflect current demand and travel patterns and account for forecasted fall ridership. This change will be closely monitored and can be adjusted if there is a change in ridership levels.
For more information on fall transit service and schedules, visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000. For trip planning assistance, use OC Transpo’s Travel Planner or use the Transit app. Customers can also connect with OC Transpo through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City of Ottawa using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
One day partial O-Train Line 1 closure August 25 to accommodate Stage 2 construction
O-Train Line 1 service will not operate between St-Laurent and Blair stations on Sunday, August 25 while important work on the Stage 2 O-Train East extension is completed. Full Line 1 service will resume on Monday, August 26, 2024.
Line 1 service will continue to operate in both directions between St-Laurent and Tunney’s Pasture stations.
R1 replacement bus service will run between St-Laurent and Blair stations every 10 minutes and a shuttle will operate between St-Laurent and Cyrville stations every 15 minutes. Staff will also be at key stations to assist customers.
This partial closure is required to connect the existing train control systems to the expanded east extension and trains will not be able to operate between St-Laurent and Blair stations while this work is underway. To allow this important Stage 2 work to advance, every effort is being made to minimize disruptions to customers.
New Ways to Bus (routes and schedules)
Stage 2 LRT Construction Update (August 2, 2024)
O-Train Line 1 Service Adjustments (August 2, 2024)
The table below provides an overview of the current and adjusted Line 1 hours of service on weekdays. Off-peak times on weekdays are from approximately 9am to 3pm. This change will also take effect on weekday evenings, from approximately 6:30 to 9:30pm.
This work includes looking closely at travel patterns on Line 1. The following table provides data on daily customer trips compared with available capacity on Line 1 during both peak and non-peak periods. Comparing ridership from the previous fall to current summer ridership allows us to make reasonable predictions about ridership for the fall of 2024.
Through these observations we noticed that many trains were not even half full during off-peak hours in both the fall and summer. There is an opportunity to adjust off-peak service to align with demand, while minimizing disruptions to our customers.
Before making any adjustments to service, OC Transpo staff carefully considers many factors, including potential impacts to customers, possible ridership changes, seasonal variability, and capacity requirements. For this change, staff have also considered that changes to employer policies requiring more on-site work may increase ridership this fall and took that into account when looking at capacity requirements.
The table below provides a breakdown of projected ridership for the fall, including an allowance for increased on-site work, compared with Line 1 capacity on the adjusted schedule.
The adjustments leave a buffer to accommodate any additional ridership increases in both peak and off-peak ridership this fall.
The revisions to the Line 1 schedule are being implemented August 26, to align with the next planned service change, at the end of August. Aligning with seasonal service changes ensures that changes to transit schedules come at predictable times and provides enough notice for customers to incorporate the new schedules and route adjustments into their plans to return to school or to increase on-site work.
Line 1 maintenance and corrective works completed
Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) undertook annual maintenance activities and corrective works from July 15 to 28, requiring Line 1 to be closed between Tunney’s Pasture and uOttawa stations. R1 replacement service ran during this period to provide service to customers. Line 1 resumed normal operations between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations this morning and R1 bus service has now ended.
• During the partial closure, a number of activities were successfully completed, including:
Drilling and grouting of the tunnel from Lyon Station to east of Rideau Station to address
excess water infiltration. This advances the work that took place last year and will reduce
future maintenance work related to water infiltration and water damage to infrastructure.
• Application of sealant to concrete infrastructure east of Tunney’s Pasture Station to further
reduce the need for future maintenance work related to water ingress and water damage.
• Continuation of the work started in 2023 and new remediation work to address water
infiltration in certain sections of the downtown tunnel and targeted areas within Parliament
and Lyon stations.
• Sealant treatment of concrete beds and track support infrastructure around Tunney’s Pasture
Station and adjacent areas.
• General maintenance and cleaning activities, including the cleaning of glass and artwork,
paint removal at specific locations in downtown tunnel stations, concrete, and tile repairs.
• The Stage 2 Contractor EWC (East-West Connectors) made significant progress with
overhead catenary system tie-in work adjacent to Tunney’s Pasture station.
These activities will help to improve service reliability and ensure the long-term sustainability of Line 1.
RTM continues to finalize plans for required maintenance work in October. This work will further corrective measures to continue to improve the long-term sustainability of Line 1. In addition, the Stage 2 contractor may also require some short-term closures to advance the tie-in of the east and west extensions to the existing line. OC Transpo is working to ensure that customer impacts are minimized and will communicate further details to customers when they are available.
We understand that these additional service disruptions are frustrating for customers, but they are necessary to enhance rail service and ensure its future reliability. OC Transpo thanks all customers for their patience while we complete this work to enhance the system.
Information
How can I plan my trip?
The Transit app, in partnership with OC Transpo, is a great option for real-time bus tracking, finding the fastest route to get you to your destination, and service alert notifications right on your phone!
There will also be options to provide your feedback by stating if the bus/train came on the crowding, and the overall rating of your bus ride (1 to 5 stars).
Download the Transit App here.
Ridership fares
There are numerous types of fares and options available, which can be found here.
Route Changes
OC Transpo Feature Articles
Safety - Community Watch on Wheels
The hatching of Transecure
Safety is a big priority for the City of Ottawa. And for OC Transpo employees, this goes far beyond safely navigating busy streets to get you to your destination. It also means watching over the safety of the community beyond the confines of the bus.
With hundreds of vehicles on the road at all hours of the day and staff travelling throughout the city, OC Transpo employees have a storied history when it comes to helping people in distress. Before everyone had a cell phone, bus operators had radios that connected them to a control centre, security, police, fire, paramedics, or whatever else was needed. To this day, OC Transpo’s front-line staff play a critical role in reporting emergencies and requesting the help of emergency services.
OC Transpo decided to formalize the process to recognize what its employees were already doing. They created Transecure, now in its 37th year, a community watch program on wheels. From all the monthly calls of the previous year, the most outstanding call is selected and the operator who made it is named the Transecure Employee of the Year. It’s a tradition that recognizes all the employees who go above and beyond the call of duty and it still continues today. The newest Transecure Employee of the Year will be announced this Sunday, April 14th, at the Transecure and Safe Driving Award Ceremony
Over the years, bus operators have been awarded citations for heroism or bravery for running into burning buildings in the middle of the night or banging on doors to wake residents who were unaware of the danger raging all around them. It’s not unusual for operators to find lost children and reunite them with their frantic parents, to rescue elderly residents who have wandered away from their residences or use their bus as a safe haven and provide temporary shelter and transportation for members of the public in need of help.
OC Owl
OC Owl was created in 1989 as a safety ambassador of the Transecure program, and a symbol of wisdom, watchfulness and protection. Over the years, OC Owl has turned heads at hundreds of school and community events. OC Owl has acted as a friendly figure to help young children feel more at ease as they are introduced to the transit system and recognize that bus operators are there to help. OC Owl also reminds everyone feeling in distress that they can flag down any OC Transpo vehicle and request help.
Let OC Transpo know
If you see something suspicious, you can speak to any OC Transpo operator or employee. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can file a report online about incidents of crimes against persons or property, feeling unsafe or uncomfortable, incidents of harassment or any other type of incident or crime you may have witnessed.
Special constables also play a key role in safety, performing foot patrols in all stations and riding vehicles around the clock. If you feel unsafe or if you see someone who seems lost or needing help, you can approach a Special Constable or call 613-741-2478.
Emergency call boxes
You can also contact OC Transpo for help or to report an incident by using one of the yellow emergency phones. These come in different sizes and shapes, but you’ll find them located at transit stations and in each elevator. Just press the button and you’ll be connected with a Transit Special Constable.
Night Stop
Many larger transit stations make use of a Night Stop. This is a single stop along the platform, designated by a yellow route stop sign that is used by all routes after 9 pm. These stops are centrally located at each station, are well lit and have an emergency phone close by. Condensing all stops into a single location at night improves safety by eliminating the need for individuals to wait on their own at the distant end of a transit platform.
Safe Stop
OC Transpo also has a Safe Stop program that you can make use of after 7 pm. Instead of getting off at your usual stop, ask your bus operator and they’ll drop you off at any safe spot along your route that is well lit and closer to your destination.
Your city, your ideas!
This feature story is another example of how the City of Ottawa is constantly working to create a city that is safe for everyone, whether you’re a transit user or not. Do you have creative ideas related to this or other City services? Share your ideas at engage.ottawa.ca/ConnectedCity.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
Growing Transit - Enhancing Connectivity with the O-Train Extension Project
May 30, 2024
The Stage 2 O-Train Extension project will add 44 kilometres of rail and 24 new O-Train stations to our rail network bringing 77 per cent of Ottawa residents within five kilometres of rail . Generally, that is a 10-minute bus ride, a 20-minute bike ride, or a shorter trip if dropped off by car.
Ensuring that key local pedestrian and cyclist networks are integrated into the O-Train Extension Project is very important to us. Through this project, we’re adding approximately $20 million in infrastructure to the City of Ottawa’s pedestrian and cycling network, providing critical connections and full accessible pathways to our new O-Train stations. This means more multi-use pathways (MUPs), cycle-tracks, pedestrian bridges and bike parking for communities all across Ottawa.
The Next Stop Blog team is here to give you a preview of future connectivity enhancements that will be delivered as part of the O-Train Extension project. Let’s find out more about how we are stepping up our active transportation networks in the south, east, and west.
O-Train South Extension
For the O-Train South Extension (Lines 2 and 4), the project will add the following new cycling and pedestrian facilities:
A 60-metre pedestrian and cycling bridge across the Rideau River
A raised 80-metre pedestrian and cycling bridge over Hunt Club Road connecting to the existing north-south MUP system with new cross-rides at Hunt Club Road and Airport Parkway
A 7-kilometre stone dust pathway between South Keys Station and Bowesville Station including new pedestrian crossings at Lester, Leitrim, and Earl Armstrong
A MUP and wildlife grade separated crossing at the intersection of High Road and the railway, to connect the natural areas that would be otherwise divided by the guideway
A new MUP connecting Limebank Station to Earl Armstrong Road
O-Train East Extension
The O-Train East Extension Project (Line 1) will see the creation of the following cycling and pedestrian facilities:
A 4-kilometre MUP between Blair Station and Sir George Etienne Cartier Parkway including a new pedestrian bridge over Green’s Creek. This MUP includes connections into the community at Blair Place, Trillium Park, Arrowsmith Drive, Pine Gove Bible Church, and East Acres Road
Improved pedestrian and cyclist connectivity at Jeanne d’Arc Station, including widened sidewalks, cross-rides and a MUP on the east side of the overpass
New and renewed MUPs around Place d’Orléans Station, including a new 800-metre MUP between Place d’Orléans Park and Ride and Bilberry Drive, the addition of lighting along the renewed MUP from Champlain Street to Alpine Street, and new MUPs from Champlain Street to Centrum Boulevard
New MUPs and sidewalks around Trim Station, including along the newly realigned Trim Road and leading to Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard
Trim Station has also been futureproofed for a new pedestrian bridge over the westbound lanes on Highway 174.
O-Train West Extension
The O-Train West Extension Project (Lines 1 and 3) will construct new cycling and pedestrian facilities, including:
Improved cyclist and pedestrian connectivity along Scott Street from Churchill Ave to Caroline Avenue
A renewed MUP with lighting from Churchill Avenue to Kichi Zìbì Station
A renewed pedestrian bridge from Roosevelt Avenue to Workman Avenue
Two new pedestrian underpasses under the Kichi Zìbì Mìkan; one connecting north of Churchill Avenue and one adjacent to Cleary Avenue
Two new signalized pedestrian crossings of the Kichi Zìbì Mìkan; one near Westboro Beach and one at the Rochester Field
Enhanced active mobility features through the Byron-Richmond Corridor, from Cleary Avenue to Edgeworth Avenue including:
Integration of soft and hardscaping through the corridor for community use
New cycle tracks and sidewalks along Richmond Road
New MUPs leading to Lincoln Fields Station and through Connaught Park
Renewal of the Woodroffe High School pedestrian and cycling bridge
New and renewed MUPs between the Highway 417 and Woodroffe Avenue, via Iris and Algonquin Stations
Renewed MUPs and enhanced landscaping through the Pinecrest Stormwater Pond area
A new pedestrian and cycling overpass across Highway 417 – connecting residents from Baxter Road to the new Queensview Station
A new MUP connection from Severn Avenue to Queensview Drive, connecting residents to Queensview Station
A new pedestrian connection from Richmond Road to Bayshore Station
Let us know!
With Ottawa’s population continuing to grow, the O-Train extension project will help ensure the nation’s capital continues to be one of the best places to live, work and play.
For more information and maps of the connectivity enhancements, please visit the connectivity enhancement study.
Did you find this information helpful? Which connectivity feature are you looking forward to most? Let us know by emailing thenextstopblog@ottawa.ca.
The Future - OC Transpo provides progress update on Five-Year Roadmap
April 11, 2024
The Transit Commission today received an annual update on OC Transpo’s Five-Year Roadmap.
The Five-Year Roadmap lays out a transparent, accountable and measurable path to guide how OC Transpo will modernize and deliver high service reliability, customer satisfaction and employee engagement over the next four years.
This first annual update includes key performance indicators, targets for improvement on major strategic initiatives and six new strategic initiatives to reflect the department’s evolving priorities. Progress continues to be made in all key areas, including:
Hiring 264 bus operators and 26 Para Transpo operators
Expanding O-Payment to accept debit cards
Improving service delivery and on-time performance
Renewing the Para Transpo minibus fleet
Transitioning the diesel bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles
The Commission received the 2023 annual compliance report from the Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer (RMCO). In 2023, the RMCO focused on inspection activities related to tunnels and the Communications-Based Train Control system (CBTC). OC Transpo was found to be compliant with all eight regulatory inspections of the tunnel while Rideau Transit Maintenance (RTM) was found to be compliant with five of the 10 elements and mostly conformant with the remaining five.
The RMCO also examined five elements related to OC Transpo’s inspections of the CBTC system and found four elements to be compliant, with one element regarding oversight activities as being mostly compliant. The RMCO noted that OC Transpo has already taken actions to enhance its 2024 oversight plan. Of the five elements that RTM was evaluated on, the RMCO found it to be conformant with three, mostly conformant with one and partially conformant with one. The RMCO noted that the conformance gaps for inspections on the CBTC system were generally small and involved aspects like missing records or inspection dates.
Staff continue to work with RTM to achieve full conformance. Staff will develop a list of remedial actions and ensure structured and timely review and follow-ups at regular meetings with the RMCO, RTM, Alstom and City staff.
The Transit Commission also received an overview of OC Transpo’s scheduling process, which had been requested at the December 2023 joint Transit Commission and Light Rail Sub-Committee meeting. The scheduling process is important to provide the best service possible for customers and incorporates feedback from numerous sources, including bus operators and members of the public.
Commission members heard that ridership reached 6.1 million customer-trips in February 2024. In March, O-Train Line 1 service delivery was 99.4 per cent. Conventional bus service delivery in March was 98.8 per cent which is the highest number staff have reported over the past 13 months. Para Transpo ridership was at 70,600 total customer-trips.
Recommendations from today’s meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, April 17.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.
