Peter Tobin
OC Transpo LRT and Bus at Hurdman station. Photo by Mitchell Libby
The painful probings of the Provincial light-rail transit (LRT) inquiry revealed a host of mistakes including a rushed implementation of an untested system, a blatant control of information and faulty decision-making. Fortunately, the next big OC Transpo project, the electrification of the City’s bus fleet, seems to be taking a more cautious and transparent approach.
After careful consideration, Ottawa City Council recently approved a plan that would see the City gradually transition its bus fleet to electric vehicles. The decision was monitored by the City’s Auditor General Nathalie Gaugeon. At her recommendation, the City will collaborate with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) in the purchasing process.
The TTC is recognized as being one of North America’s earliest adapters to emissions-free transit. Toronto has had e-buses running successfully in its system for almost four years. Ottawa has four electric buses in the OC Transpo system with another 26 slated to be in service by early 2024. By 2027, OC Transpo plans to have 350 e-buses quietly plying our streets. The accordion buses, which have difficulty coping with winter conditions, notably in Greystone Village, will probably be the first component of the fleet to be replaced, according to City staff.
For the most part, Old Ottawa East is well-served by buses, on paper at least. The hospital complex at Smythe Road, the Rideau Centre and Byward Market can all be reached in minutes from stops along Main Street. Buses from Lees Avenue go to the Civic Hospital and to Tunney’s Pasture. The service is supposedly very good but spotty reliability is the fly in the ointment, according to OC Transpo riders who have spoken to The Mainstreeter. While OC Transpo lists reliability at 97%, the regular bus riders we interviewed question that statistic and the methodology behind it. The ubiquitous “We are hiring” signage on buses is an indication that staffing shortages are likely a contributing factor that hampers more consistent service.
The 2023 budget of the City’s Transit Commission includes free transit for those 12-years-old and under, a fare freeze for one year and a significant reduction in the number of buses. The current fleet of 851 buses will gradually reduce down to 738 buses. The City claims that the reduction will not have an impact on service, however counter-intuitive that would seem to be. However, the City’s detailed explanation outlines why that scenario is credible.
Nevertheless in a February 23 letter to City Council made available to The Mainstreeter, Renee Amilcar, General Manager of Transit Services, provides the following caution. “Following the adoption of the 2023 budget OC Transpo will also be undertaking a review of all bus routes. As ridership patterns have changed due to the pandemic, we must adapt the system to this new reality to continue to deliver the best possible services to our customers. This will involve evaluating potential future networks and identifying potential changes to service policy”.
Looking beyond budget cuts, imminent construction projects will create traffic congestion especially on Main Street. The years-long road renewal on Greenfield Avenue, Main Street and Hawthorne Avenue commencing this spring will necessitate occasional lane closures. Later in the decade, the proposed 90-week partial closure of Colonel By Drive and Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be a huge headache for all vehicles including buses. Even the comparatively minor disruption caused by the repaving of Lees Avenue this summer is likely to be a necessary nuisance.
