OC Transpo 'ramping up' fare inspections at O-Train stations and some bus routes

The O-Train running along the Confederation Line in Ottawa. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa transit riders may be asked to show proof of payment at O-Train stations and on select OC Transpo buses.

OC Transpo is reintroducing fare inspections following the COVID-19 pandemic, with officers checking whether riders have paid the fares at transit stations and on bus routes.

"We have been ramping up fare inspection efforts," Paul Treboutat, OC Transpo Chief Safety Officer, told the Transit Commission on Thursday.

"For the month of April and May, my special constable unit has been training and orienting recently hired transit fare enforcement officers on their duties with a particular focus on some of the hot spots for fare evasion in our LRT stations."

"This week, the fare enforcement officers have expanded to selected bus routes to inspect for fare compliance."

Statistics show OC Transpo fare enforcement officers issued 33 Provincial Offence Notices for failing to pay the transit fare in the month of June, and handed out 71 warnings. In May, officers issued two tickets and 58 warnings for not paying the fare.

The fine for fare evasion is $150.

Coun. Shawn Menard questioned whether it is cost-effective for the transit service to be conducting fare enforcement.

"If we're spending more on the fare inspectors than its bringing in, that's an issue," Menard said, asking staff to provide an outline of the costs of fare inspectors and the money collected through fares.

"I want to make sure we're doing this for a good reason."

Treboutat asked Menard to allow the fare inspectors to be deployed for 6 to 8 months before Council looks at the costs and benefits of fare enforcement.

Transit Services general manager Renee Amilcar told the Transit Commission that OC Transpo needs to have fare inspectors.

"We have seen a lot of people who don't pay to ride," Amilcar said, adding many people have a ticket or pass but don't show it to the driver.

"We want to make sure that those people will pay and we will monitor those infractions. It's a good practice to have fare inspector on transit."

The fare enforcement comes as OC Transpo faces a projected $39 million deficit this year.  Statistics presented to the Transit Commission on Thursday showed fare revenue was $56.9 million for the first five months of the year, short of the $62.5 million budget.

The Transit Commission was told 360 OC Transpo employees have been injured on the job this year, with the majority of incidents involving bus drivers.

"Many of these incidents involving bus operators are the result of unruly or impaired passengers, and some passengers refusing to pay the required fare," Trehoutat said. "To address this, we are putting together a communications campaign that will lay out expectations on customer behaviour when using public transit."