September 6, 2024: OC Transpo is ready to welcome customers returning to work and school

OC Transpo’s fall service change began on August 25. These regular service adjustments take place four times a year during the spring, summer, fall and winter. The predictable timing is meant to provide ample notice for customers to incorporate new schedules and route adjustments into their plans to return to school or to increase on-site work.

Staff considered many factors when preparing the fall bus and O-Train Line 1 service schedule, including potential impacts to customers, possible ridership volume changes, seasonal variability, and capacity requirements. For this change, staff considered changes to employer policies that increase on-site work, which are likely to increase ridership this fall.

Since the fall service change began on August 25, OC Transpo has been closely monitoring ridership across the O-Train, bus, and Para Transpo networks. Early observations indicate there is enough capacity for current customers and sufficient additional capacity to accommodate more as ridership continues to grow.

Ottawa’s public transit system is ready to serve both new and returning customers. Here are some of the many benefits of riding with OC Transpo:

• O-Train Line 1 serves many major Government of Canada workplaces. Connections to locations in Gatineau are available at Pimisi and Lyon stations.
• Planning your journey into the office is easy with OC Transpo’s Travel Planner and the Transit App, which uses real-time transit information to inform you of when your bus is coming.
• Paying your fare is easy and convenient with O-Payment. Simply tap your Interac Debit card, Visa, Mastercard, or Google Pay or Apple Pay mobile wallets at fare readers on buses and fare gates at O-Train Line 1 stations.
• Take advantage of daily and monthly fare capping by using the same credit card, Interac Debit card, or mobile wallet each time you pay. You’ll never be charged more than the price of a day pass on a single day or more than the price of a monthly pass during a calendar month.
• Use a Presto card if you live in Ottawa and are transferring between OC Transpo and STO to make your trips each day. Use an STO Multi card if you live in Gatineau and are transferring between the STO and OC Transpo.
• OC Transpo offers over 9,000 free spaces at Park & Ride lots across Ottawa and nearby rural areas. All Park & Ride lots offer easy access to major stations and/or Connexion routes.

OC Transpo continues to monitor ridership through the operations control centre, fare readers on buses and in-person station observations. Based on this information, staff are ready to adjust service as needed to meet changes in ridership levels and will provide early observations on fall ridership and service frequency at the next Transit Commission meeting on September 12.

With the first week of September well underway, many residents have begun a new school year or are preparing to return to work in-office. OC Transpo has created a package of  materials which can be shared with residents in your wards to help inform and prepare them as they plan to use transit as part of their new fall routines.

For any additional information, please contact Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, at 52205.