After a long and somewhat divisive meeting, Ottawa council voted against extending OC Transpo's free bus service to the end of February.
Council has, however, released a long list of incentives meant to gain back ridership.
Those new incentives include:
- December Regular pass holders can purchase March passes for 60% off the regular price.
- By early April, as full Express service returns, December Express pass holders can purchase April and May Express passes at Regular fare.
- Anyone with an ECOPASS receives a payroll deduction holiday equal to the benefit conveyed to other December Regular and Express pass holders.
- Regular weekday cash and ticket fares are reduced by 50% for February.
- Riders who already received a refund for their December bus pass can buy them back to take advantage of new incentives. Visit an OC Transpo Sales Centre by February 15 and present one piece of identification and the receipt received for their December pass.
- Riders still wanting a refund of their December pass must do so by February 15 at an OC Transpo Sales Centre.
Other incentives remain in place:
- Bus service is free for everyone until February 15.
- Weekends are free for everyone for the month of February.
- December passes are valid until the end of February.
The alternative plan will cost about $10 million and some councilors argued free rides would be too expensive to add to already skyrocketing costs associated with the strike.
"We have to remember that only one in five people take the bus in this city and yet 100 per cent of the taxpayers pay 50 per cent of the costs every day," said Coun. Jan Harder.
Meanwhile, Coun. Clive Doucet called it an investment.
"At least you can say , hey, you know, we're back on track and we want to deliver a great service for you from now on and in the future and part of that is a welcome back that means something."
