No date for Trillium Line launch as OC Transpo focuses on final ‘critical milestones’

OC Transpo is still not providing a launch date for the new north-south O-Train line, as it focuses on the final "critical milestones" to launch the new rail line that will connect downtown Ottawa and Riverside South.

Transit Services general manager Renée Amilcar told reporters Thursday afternoon that she plans to hold a technical briefing the week of Nov. 18 during which a firm launch date will be confirmed. 

"While we have not reached the finish line, we are in the home stretch. We are completing important activities that will help ensure the system will be ready for customers on day one," Amilcar said.

While she would not comment on a specific date, Amilcar did say there would be a "soft launch" of the line when it is ready for passengers, and promised more information at the upcoming but presently unscheduled technical briefing.

In a memo to council, Amilcar says with trial running completed, the focus is now on "achieving substantial competition, regulatory approvals and completing final readiness activities."

"These critical milestones are anticipated to occur over a minimum three-week period," Amilcar said.

Amilcar says "substantial competition" is the final step before the system is handed over to the city, and includes an independent certifier certifying the contract requirements have been met by TranstiNEXT.

"Once Substantial Completion is verified, there are several regulatory and certification requirements that must be achieved prior to revenue service," Amilcar said.

"OC Transpo is engaged with all parties to ensure that this process is efficient, thorough, and completed in a timely fashion."

OC Transpo is also doing "final readiness activities" in the coming weeks.

"These include system and station familiarization tours for OC Transpo staff, emergency exercises with emergency responder personnel, a dress rehearsal to test the system and ongoing staff training," Amilcar said. "This work will help ensure the system is ready for customers on day one."

Around 200 city staff who are unfamiliar with the system will take part in the dress rehearsal.

"They will play with the system, the doors, and the fare gates, et cetera, and we will identify opportunities to improve the customer's experience when we will welcome our passengers," Amilcar said.

Amilcar announced on Monday that OC Transpo and TransitNEXT completed work over the weekend that "closed out the second phase of trial running." The 21-day trial running period included a 14-day simulation of daily passenger service, followed by a seven-day period to run through a series of simulated problem scenarios to see how staff respond to issues on Line 2 and 4.

OC Transpo says the 14-day rolling average on-time performance was 99.5 per cent, above the 98.5 per cent target.

"During the fourteen days of simulated passenger service, vehicle, track, and signal issues were encountered that impacted the TransitNEXT on-time performance and required further investigation," Amilcar says.

"These issues caused minor delays to service and OC Transpo and TransitNext continue to work collaboratively to make adjustments where possible to further refine the operation of the system and responsiveness of the team."

The new north-south Trillium Line will run between Bayview Station and Limebank Station, with a spur to the Ottawa International Airport.

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