Complaints about OC Transpo bus drivers flood city's fraud hotline
Ottawa's auditor general will no longer investigate complaints about bad driving by OC Transpo operators, as tips continue to flood the fraud and waste hotline about driver behaviour.
Nathalie Gougeon says the hotline has been receiving approximately five to 10 reports a day over the past year linked to bus operator "compliance issues", and it is overwhelming her office.
"I believe that the number of cases which continue to be received by the office has actually become an abuse of the fraud and waste hotline," Gougeon said.
"These cases are significant and require a significant amount of resources just for our office to review and to triage them."
Ottawa's fraud and waste hotline received 201 tips in 2022, and another 1,187 reports that were similar in nature.
"The majority of the similar in nature reports received in 2022 are consistent with allegations that we investigated in 2021 and 2022 linked to violations of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act by OC Transpo bus operators," Gougeon said.
The auditor general released a report in June 2022 after the fraud and waste hotline received over 400 reports in eight months related to alleged violations of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act by OC Transpo bus drivers.
Gougeon's report said tips to the hotline alleged that OC Transpo bus operators were not activating the left side turn signal, turning right without stopping at a stale yellow light or running a solid red light at specific intersections. A report by Gougeon's office found 67 per cent of observed bus operators did not signal as they departed the bus stop at one intersection, violating the Highway Traffic Act.
Gougeon told the Audit Committee that since her office has already investigated OC Transpo operators and is working with management to address the "very important issues", the auditor general's office will no longer investigate complaints about driving behaviour.
"I can no longer continue to commit significant resources and daily resources for an issue for which, firstly, we have already conducted an investigation on and, secondly, for which management has taken steps to address," Gougeon said.
"As of today, I will no longer be intaking and tracking these cases unless new concerns are raised."
Transit Services General Manager Renee Amilcar told the committee that OC Transpo takes the auditor general's findings "very seriously."
Amilcar says OC Transpo will provide a two to three-hour training course for drivers to review the rules of the road under the Highway Traffic Act.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.