An OC Transpo driver is being charged under a city bylaw in last month's Transitway crash between two buses.
Ottawa police said 64-year-old Merrick Morgan is charged with failing to afford reasonable time to make a left turn in the Feb. 7 crash that injured 12 people and snarled rush-hour traffic.
He faces a $125 fine under the bylaw because the Transitway isn't a public road.
The city's transit union said he's an experienced 14-year driver and is blaming the intersection for its role in the crash.
"This is one of the more dangerous intersections or places on the Transitway," said Garry Queale of ATU 279. "We had an accident there a year ago and we had asked the city if they could implement a 50 kilometre an hour stop sign."
The limit at the intersection near Tunney's Pasture is currently 90 kilometres an hour.
Transit users said the section of the road is dangerous.
"I noticed during the rush hour it seems to be quite jam-packed," said Greg MacDonald. "I noticed quite a few times there have been quite a few close calls."
"There is a certain amount of neglect, at least in Transitway drivers," said Elspeth Hazel.
Graham Lowery was a passenger on one of the buses that collided and said the driver shouldn't shoulder all the responsibility.
"The good idea would be to reduce speed in an area like this to save any sort of incident from happening," he said. "Mistakes happen, lucky for us it wasn't a problem. I think it's definitely a fair penalty by all means."
CTV Ottawa has been told Morgan has been restored to his duties and is back driving for OC Transpo.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua
