COUNCILLOR’S NOTEBOOK: OC Transpo service problems

CTV Ottawa asked me to comment today on ongoing transit service issues for a story that they are working on about late and cancelled buses this week.

My message: OC Transpo is very aware of the issues and councillors are very aware of the issues. I’ve been receiving emails and messages all week from bus riders. Late buses, crowded buses, and cancelled buses are leaving commuters stranded. This is completely unacceptable on any day of the year, but it’s particularly bad on cold weeks like this one.

I had separate meetings this week with senior OC Transpo staff and Transit Commission Chair Allan Hubley to talk about possible solutions in the short-term and long-term. I will be meeting with the Mayor and City Manager next week on budget issues and will continue the conversation with them as well. This is not a problem that’s unique to Stittsville, but cancellations can have a higher impact because we have fewer route options to choose from.

My entire team takes the bus to City Hall.  I took the bus downtown yesterday and today.  We experience the same things that riders are. We have a bus system stretched thin without many resources to spare. We are working to find more resources and improve communication with riders. I will continue to advocate for riders to improve reliability of our bus service.

In the meantime, keep sharing your experiences with me via glen.gower@ottawa.ca. Many of you have already shared text, photos and videos. Please keep them coming.