September 12 Transit Commission Update
OC Transpo is prepared for the return to school and work for many across the city.
On September 12, we provided an update on our fall service plan, a fare compliance initiative, the ongoing work by Rideau Transit Group (RTG) on the vehicle axle bearing issues and a lot more.
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.
Fall Service Change
Welcome back students and those returning to work across Ottawa!
An update was provided to Transit commissioners on our fall service change, which began on August 25, and was planned to accommodate increased ridership as customers return to school and working in the office.
Ridership is being closely monitored since schedule adjustments were made to O-Train Line 1 on August 26, and we are pleased to report that service continues to meet current customer demand. We will adjust service if additional capacity is needed.
Planned Line 1 closures
Upcoming work on O-Train Line 1 will require temporary full line closure on the morning of Sunday, September 29, and all day on Saturday, October 5.
These closures are needed to integrate the communications and computer systems for the Stage 2 East Extension, that will extend the O-Train from Blair to Trim station.
Further information on these service adjustments will be shared with customers in advance through our communications channels, including website, social media, customer alerts, public service -announcements and signage at stations.
Fare compliance
Throughout September, fare inspectors will be out across the transit network checking fares and proof of payment. Transit fares go a long way to keep our transit system running. To learn more, visit OC Transpo fares
Axle bearings
The Commission received an update regarding the continued work by Rideau Transit Group (RTG) on the vehicle axle bearing issues, including confirmation that Alstom has resumed work and is committed to the redesign of the cartridge bearing assembly.
This commitment allows progress to continue towards a sustainable solution on Line 1 to improve the overall service reliability for customers.
Ridership update
Transit Commission members also heard that O-Train and conventional bus ridership was at 4.4 million customer-trips in July, an increase of 500,000 compared to the same time last year.
Para Transpo ridership for August was68,200 customer-trips, which is an increase of 6,500 trips when compared to the same month last year.
Some additional good news is that there have been zero serious assaults on operators since the addition of barriers in conventional buses in 2021.
Budget Update
Transit Commission was provided an update on the 2024 Transit Operating and Capital Budget Q2 Status Report that included details on the 2024 year-end forecast.
The report highlighted a $11.6 million deficit in Q2 primarily due to lower-than-expected ridership and the higher number of customers using discounted fares.
The 2024 year-end forecast showed a deficit of $25.6 million and an additional projected revenue shortfall of $7.4 million. The forecast included an additional expenditure of $6.7 million due to the higher fleet maintenance, insurance claims, and Para Transpo costs. These costs are slightly offset by the delay in opening O-Train Lines 2 and 4.
For more information on OC Transpo, visit octranspo.com, or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
