OC Transpo

 

Councillor Hubley understands that Ottawa as the nations capital should have the best possible transit service with the funds available.  The Transit Commission is responsible for ensuring the development of a safe, efficient, accessible and client-focused transit system and for providing overall guidance and direction to the Transit Services Department on all issues relating to the operation of public transit.

The Transit Commission consists of the following Councillors: Diane Deans (chair), Keith Egli (vice chair), Stephen Blais, Rainer Bloess, Steve Desroches, Shad Qadri, Tim Tierney, and Marianne Wilkinson.

Should you like to contact the Transit Commission, Transit Services, and Councillor Hubley regarding a transit concern please click the following link:

Transit Commission

 

September 2012 Changes

This memo is to provide an overview of the transit service changes that will be made starting Sunday, September 2, and Tuesday, September 4, 2012.  OC Transpo schedules are adjusted four times a year – April, June, September, and December.   

The changes for September 2012 fall into several categories:

  • Stittsville Route Changes – With the inclusion of Stittsville in the Urban Transit Area in 2012, and based on discussions with the community and the Councillor, service changes are being made to better serve customers’ travel needs.  Route 96A service will be extended to the Goulbourn Recreational Complex to provide a new all-day Monday to Friday service (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) on Huntmar, Fringewood, and Granite Ridge, to improve access from residential and commercial areas.  Stittsville trips on Route 96 will be shortened to end at the Goulbourn Recreational Complex. New trips to Terry Fox Station on Route 96 in the afternoon peak period will relieve pressure on busy trips to Stittsville.  Route 261 will be revised to operate directly south on Stittsville Main from Denali to Abbott, then east on Abbott, and continuing as today to downtown, to reduce travel time, and service will be removed from Beverly.

 

  • Deployment of the New Double-Decker Bus Fleet – The new double-decker buses are expected to begin arriving in late August. Once sufficient operators have been trained, the double-deckers will begin to operate on many busy trips on Routes 35, 61, and 77, and on a smaller number of trips on Routes 20, 21, 30, 31, 34, 38, 41, 60, 62, 66, 68, 70, 71, 76, and 93.  Further information on the double-decker project will be provided at the Commission meeting on August 24.

 

  • Service Capacity Improvements – The frequency of service will be increased to reduce crowding on busy routes and to meet service capacity standards.  Additional trips will operate on Routes 8, 12, 22, 87, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 111, 144, and 148.  In addition, higher-capacity buses will be assigned to increase capacity at key times on Routes 8, 9, 14, 20, 22, 27, 30, 34, 60, 62, 65, 73, 87, 93, 94, 96, 98, 99, 111, 114, and 118.  Also, Route 94 will be increased to 15-minute service on Saturday and Sunday mornings; more afternoon trips on Route 95 will extend to Barrhaven Centre and to Trim Station;  Route 99 service on Sundays will be increased to every 30 minutes during the day to improve transit access to CE Centre events;  more trips on Route 111 will run through to Carleton University; and Route 177 will run every 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon peak hours.

 

  • Improvements in Hours of Service – The hours of service on Route 96 Monday to Friday will be improved in order to move closer to a 24-hour service; the overnight gap in service will be reduced to about two hours.  The hours of service on Route 97 from Friday into Saturday morning will be improved in order to move to a 24-hour service Monday to Saturday between the Airport and LeBreton Station.  On Sunday evenings, Route 156 will provide two new trips from the Sikh Gurdwara located in the Antares/Hunt Club area.

 

  • Seasonal Service Changes – Every year, service levels are reduced over the summer months to better match the seasonal variation in ridership.  In the fall, ridership returns to normal seasonal levels across the system, and the frequency of service returns to the normal fall/winter service levels.  This fall, trips are being reinstated on Routes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 18, 20, 21, 22, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 60, 61, 62, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 73, 76, 77, 85, 86, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, 101, 102, 106, 114, 118, 126, 146, 150, and 176.  School trips will also be reinstated.  The summer weekend service to federal museums on Routes 129 and 185 will end.

 

  • Improved Reliability – Changes are being made to the schedules of Routes 85, 87, and 171 to improve the reliability of service.  Route 99 trip times after 19:00 will be adjusted to depart from Greenboro Station a few minutes later to improve connections for customers transferring from the O-Train.  Analysis continues across the system for future improvements.

 

  • Changes to School Services – Based on observed ridership levels, and following discussion with the school boards and their transportation authorities, the number of school trips will be reduced on Routes 114, 116, 120, 128, 131, 134, and 602.  Some school services will be realigned to follow the same streets as the all-day routes; this includes school trips on Route 93 to Bell High School, Route 618 to École secondaire publique Louis-Riel, and Route 674 to All Saints High School.

 

  • Route Number Changes – Route 601 service to École secondaire publique Louis-Riel will be designated as trips on Route 128.  The current Route 245 service to Manotick will be designated as part of Route 99.

 

  • Construction Detours – Several major road construction projects that began in the spring or summer will continue to affect transit service into the fall on Bronson (Routes 4 and 14), Churchill (Route 150), Heron Road Bridge (Routes 111 and 118), Holland (Routes 16, 86, 102, and 176), Meadowlands (Routes 86B and 111), Rideau (Routes 7, 12, 14, and 18), and Woodroffe (Route 87).

 

  • Special Dates – During the fall there are several special dates that take place:

-          Labour Day – On Monday, September 2, a Sunday service will be operated.

-          Thanksgiving – On Monday, October 8, a Sunday schedule will be operated.

-          Remembrance Day – On Sunday, November 11, a Sunday schedule will be operated.

More information can be found at www.octranspo.com or through their telephone information centre (613-741-4390).  Once the new service begins, customers can find up-to-date schedules by using octranspo.mobi or the MyTransit iPhone app, by calling 613-560-1000, or by texting 560560.

Once these service changes are in place, OC Transpo will evaluate the success based on feedback we collect from customers and operating staff and based on ridership and operational data measurements.

For Information on Various Transit Initiatives in Kanata South click the following links or you can scroll down

1.Additional Park and Ride Space in Kanata South

2.Plan your bus trip

3. 2012 Business Plan

To go to OC Transpo Website please click here .

 Additional Park and Ride Space in Kanata South

Councillor Hubley has heard from many concerned Kanata South residents about space at the Eagleson Park and Ride, especially during the later hours of the morning commute.

Hubley believes that it is important that Kanata South transit users are provided adequate capacity for their commuting needs at the best possible price.  Councillor Hubley is an avid supporter of a Park and Ride at Scotiabank place because this is the most cost effective and immediate solution to provide additional Park and Ride capacity for Kanata South.

The alternative would be to go through the longer and more expensive process of aquiring new land and  paving over this land to provide additonal capacity.

Councillor Hubley was very pleased to announce an agreement this summer between both Scotiabank Place, the Provincial Government, and the City of Ottawa for a bus on ramp from Scotiabank place to the Queensway, along with Park and Ride spaces at this location.

This Park and Ride is anticipated to be fully operational by the Fall of 2012. In the meantime, a communications structure is alerts buses on 261, and 263 when commuters are at this Park and Ride to create an “On-Demand Service” with 100 avaliable spaces.

Capacity of Kanata South Routes

Councillor Hubley has heard certain concerns from residents about the capacity on certain trips of some routes. We have informed OC Transpo staff about trips residents have seen recurrent problems on so staff  can prioritize their resources.

The 2012 budget identifys 5.5 million in additional spending to increase transit operating hours, this money will be prioritized towards busy routes such as the 96.

Councillor Hubley ensured that the Manager of Transit Route Design monitor bus capacity at Eagleson Park and Ride once  the changes took effect. Members of our office ride the bus regularily and have observed various trips on different routes the bus. Councillor Hubley also rode the bus in the first month of the changes to talk to commuters about the service changes.

More double decker buses and articulated buses will be posted to Kanata South routes as they are obtained. You can view more information on the OC Transpo fleet in their business plan.

For More Information

Transit Information

613-741-4390

TTY 613-741-5280

Customer Service

613-842-3600

FAX 613-230-6543

Access OC Hotline

613-842-3625

TTY 613-741-5280

Transit Security

613-741-2478