OC Transpo offers free-fare weekend as it rolls out route overhaul
Article content
Article content
'It's a way to say a huge thank you for your patience, because we have been working hard to improve the service, and it was tough on (the) customers,' said transit service general manager Renée Amilcar in a press conference Thursday at Bayview Station.
Article content
Article content
Amilcar said the free-fare weekend is 'not as much' about compensating riders for frustrating delays and disruptions. 'It's a way to say, this is the new OC Transpo, come and try it, and I'm sure you will love it,' she said.
Article content
Article content
Amilcar acknowledged staff are working out some 'glitches' with the 'New Ways to Bus' launch, and OC Transpo has already heard from some riders who are upset over the large-scale bus route changes that came into effect April 27.
Article content
'First and foremost, we have heard a lot of complaints (over the years) about the reliability — or non-reliability — and we have spent a lot of money, billions of dollars, to build transit here with the LRT,' Amilcar said.
Article content
'Now, we're bringing the buses to the LRT because the LRT doesn't need to deal with traffic. And the service is now reliable, so we know exactly what time (the trains) will come and what time it will be at your destination,' she said. 'It's a change, definitely, and it's hard to accept changes, but (the overhaul is) a good thing and when people use it, I'm sure they will love it.'
Article content
Article content
Amilcar rated the new bus route launch as 'so far, so good.'
Article content
'Absolutely we have anticipated some glitches, and we have to deal with those glitches,' she said. Amilcar encouraged riders to contribute their comments and feedback through OC Transpo's website.
Article content
'We will continue to improve the service, we will continue to listen to our customers and we'll do our best… we are open to any kind of comments that can help us to improve the service,' she said.
Article content
The free-fare weekend will cost OC Transpo about $285,000.
Article content
'For me, it's an investment. Because we have worked very hard to improve the system, we stabilized Line 1 (over the) months and years, we successfully launched Lines 2 and 4 and we implemented New Ways to Bus last Sunday… It's an investment, but it's a good use of taxpayer money, I would say,' Amilcar said.
Article content
She was asked on Thursday why the free fares were limited to one weekend — when service is running on a reduced weekend schedule — instead of the free month OC Transpo offered in December 2021 as an apology for disruptions in train service during that summer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
11 hours ago
- CBC
OC Transpo offers new 24-hour bus route to airport
OC Transpo is introducing a new bus route to the airport starting near the end of August for residents in the east end of the city — and celebrating a short-lived high speed military aircraft from the 1950s. In a memo, the City of Ottawa says starting on Sunday, Aug. 25, a new 24-hour bus route, Route 105, will be introduced to Ottawa's Macdonald–Cartier International Airport with planned trips from Tremblay, St-Laurent and Hurdman stations. The route is set to offer seven-day-a-week service, operating every 30 minutes, offering an alternate option for residents who have late night or early morning flights, after or before the O-Train is running. As well, when the O-Train isn't running overnight, a new overnight service will run from Rideau and Hurdman stations, replacing Route N98 and part of Route 197. The number of the route was picked specifically to honour a symbol of Canadian aviation history — the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, a supersonic, but short-lived aircraft from the 1950s. Other route changes OC Transpo says it plans to stop the youth monthly pass by the end of August. Those using a youth pass will be charged an adult month pass at the beginning of September. The service also says it plans to ramp up trips on Routes 7 and 25 when there are more riders headed to Carleton University and La Cité and Sept. 1 will be the last day of trips on Route 125 to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Route 139 to Petrie Island and the extension of Route 8 to the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.
CTV News
12 hours ago
- CTV News
OC Transpo launching new bus route from east end LRT stations to Ottawa Airport
An Alstom LINT train arrives at Airport Station at the Ottawa International Airport on Monday. The new O-Train Line 4 runs between South Keys station and the Ottawa Airport. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) OC Transpo is rolling out a new bus route connecting the Ottawa International Airport with St-Laurent and Hurdman Stations, eight months after O-Train Line 4 opened with direct rail service to the airport. In a memo to council, Transit Services acting general manager Troy Charter announced new Route 105 will be introduced this fall, offering 24 hours a day bus service between the airport and two O-Train stations. Charter says the new route will 'offer more options for east-end residents accessing the airport.' 'Route 105 will provide direct connections to the Airport from O Train Line 1 at Hurdman Station and from intercity buses and trains at St-Laurent and Tremblay stations,' Chartier wrote Thursday morning. 'Route number 105 was selected in honour of the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, a supersonic aircraft and symbol of Canadian innovation.' Route 105 will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, approximately every 30 minutes. Charter says when O-Train Line 1 is not running overnight, buses will connect to the Ottawa Airport from Rideau and Hurdman stations. 'The new overnight service will replace Route N98, and the new service to the Airport will replace part of Route 197,' Charter said. 'Frequency and capacity along the Southeast Transitway will be unchanged.' OC Transpo opened O-Train Line 2 and Line 4 in January, offering service between Bayview Station and Limebank Station, with a spur to the Ottawa International Airport. O-Train riders must board Line 4 to the airport at South Keys Station. Under the current O-Train operations, commuters wanting to ride the O-Train to the airport from the east end must ride Line 1 to Bayview Station, transfer to Line 2 and ride to South Keys Station, where you can board Line 4 to the airport. Line 2 schedule changes OC Transpo says O-Train Line 2 will start earlier this fall. Charter says there will be earlier start times on Line 2 for Monday to Saturday service. More details will be announced when schedule arrangements are complete.
Toronto Star
19 hours ago
- Toronto Star
I used to think of Toronto as a nice place to live, not visit. But one pervasive problem is turning that idea on its head
I often used to say, 'Toronto is a great place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit.' It's never been conventionally beautiful, and apart from the CN Tower, its attractions have never been world-famously impressive — but there's always lots of cool stuff to do and see and eat wherever you go. Lately, though, the axiom seems to have been turned on its head. Among the locals I talk to, there's been a lot of griping about Toronto, but among visitors from afar, I hear nothing but rave reviews. You can see it in the city's main subreddit, where posts about the cost of living and Eglinton Crosstown LRT delays are interspersed with messages from foreign tourists calling the city 'charming and welcoming' and 'absolutely amazing' — and so on. 'It was my favourite city I ever visited,' one Virginian posted recently.
