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
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.