October 10 Transit Commission Update

On October 10, we provided an update on our Zero Emission Buses, upcoming Line 1 maintenance and the New Ways to Bus campaign.

If you didn’t get a chance to tune in, The Next Stop Blog is here to bring you up to speed on what you missed.

Zero-emission bus program

OC Transpo will have 102 zero emission buses added to the fleet by early 2026.

We plan to add 102 ZEBs to our fleet by early 2026. At the moment, work continues to train staff and upgrade our facilities to prepare for an expanded electric bus fleet.

A notable milestone achieved recently is the installation of the charging stations that will welcome more ZEBs later this year. We are focused exclusively on buying 40-foot buses due to the limited availability of 60-foot zero-emission articulated buses.

Line 1 maintenance

Between Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, November 3, O-Train Line 1 will undergo maintenance work that will help improve the system’s overall reliability. This will require service adjustments on weekends and late at night on specific weekdays.

R1 bus service will operate during impacts to Line 1. 

Customers can use the Travel Planner and Transit app or call 613-560-5000 to plan your trip in advance.

New Ways to Bus

In April 2025 we will launch New Ways to Bus to align with the spring service change.

Customers can visit octranspo.com for the latest information and use the New Ways to Bus Travel Planner to preview their future trips.

Para Transpo Updates

There were also two exciting Para Transpo announcements.

We have procured 92 new Para Transpo minibuses. One of these minibuses is now in our hands and being used by staff for inspection, testing and training. Most of the fleet is expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.

We will soon be launching ‘Para Transpo Talk,’ a new customer engagement series that will happen six times per year. Stay tuned for more details on how you can participate.

Bus Operator Recruitment Milestone

Another major milestone was reached recently. Since 2022, we have hired 828 new bus operators. This is significant as these new operators will help our efforts to achieve the goal of 99.5 per cent bus service delivery.

This announcement came on the heels of an increase in ridership, fare sales and Park & Ride usage in September. When compared to the same time last year, combined transit pass sales are up 24 per cent and revenue from single-ride fares is up by 27 per cent.

Weekday ridership has also increased, with bus boardings up by four per cent and Line 1 boardings up by 11 per cent. Para Transpo ridership has also increased by 14 per cent, and Park & Ride use ​is up by 12 per cent.

For more information on OC Transpo, visit octranspo.com, or follow us on Facebook,  X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.