OC Transpo's fall schedule includes increased bus service along LRT lines

An OC Transpo bus at the Eagleson Park and Ride. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

OC Transpo will increase bus service along the Confederation Line and Trillium Line this fall, to keep passengers moving during maintenance and construction work along Ottawa's two rail transit lines.

The transit service has unveiled plans for the fall schedule, which includes service adjustments and seasonal service changes to accommodate increased passenger volumes for back-to-school and work following the summer. The new fall service changes begin on Aug. 27, and customers can find information on octranspo.com.

Acting general manager of Transit Services Michael Morgan says the fall schedule will include the Shuttle Express bus service along the Confederation Line, and increased frequency for the replacement bus service along Line 2.

This fall, the Confederation Line will continue to operate with single-car service between Blair Road and Tunney's Pasture stations as part of the modified return-to-service plan, including 11 cars during the morning peak period and 13 cars during the afternoon peak period.  OC Transpo plans to continue to operate the Shuttle Express Service as an alternative to Line 1, with buses running between Blair Station and downtown and Tunney's Pasture Station and downtown.

Shuttle bus schedule

OC Transpo says shuttle buses will run every 10 minutes between Blair Station and downtown and Tunney's Pasture and downtown.

Monday to Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.:

• Blair Station to downtown with service on Mackenzie King Bridge and on Albert Street
• Tunney’s Pasture to downtown with service on Slater Street and Mackenzie King Bridge

Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.:

• Downtown to Blair Station with service on Slater Street and Mackenzie King Bridge
• Downtown to Tunney’s Pasture Station with service on Mackenzie King Bridge and on Albert Street

Meantime, there will be no Trillium Line service for the start of the school year, as construction continues on the line between Bayview Station and Riverside South. Staff said this week it will be at least early November before the project is finished and the system is handed over to the city.

Morgan says the frequency of Line 2 replacement buses serving Carleton University will be increased "to accommodate the seasonal return of higher ridership." Buses will operate every 10 minutes during peak periods, and additional trips will be added at "major class times where needed to increase capacity."

OC Transpo will also return routes 25, 56 and 57 to the regular non-summer schedules.

In a bid to increase service to Carleton University, Morgan says OC Transpo will add a supplemental trip on Route 7 on weekday evenings from Carleton University to the Rideau Centre to "increase capacity and better accommodate current ridership levels."

Here is a look at the other service adjustments for the fall, according to OC Transpo.

• Route 18 will be extended to Parliament Station via Queen Street
• On weekdays, westbound morning trips on Route 51 will be adjusted to follow the regular routing via Lincoln Heights instead of remaining on Croydon Avenue
• On weekends, select trips on Route 61 will be extended between Terry Fox Station and CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn on Shea Road
• On weekdays, schedule adjustments will be made to routes 74 and 75 to improve on-time performance. The same number of trips will still provide the same capacity, according to Morgan.
• Route 74 will be extended from Nepean Woods Station to Riverview Station, in preparation for the future further extension to Limebank Station when Line 2 opens
• On weekdays, one trip northbound in the morning and one trip southbound in the afternoon on Route 75 will be extended between Barrhaven Centre Station and Cambrian
• On weekdays, new trips on Route 88 will be added between Baseline and Hurdman stations
• On weekdays, the short trips on Route 198 that do not serve Greenboro Station will be withdrawn, due to very low ridership

School service

• OC Transpo says school service will be increased in the fall, following consultations with the school boards and their transportation agencies.
• Cedarview Middle School: New school routes 682 and 683 will be introduced to provide service for students living in the Barrhaven, Jockvale, and Half Moon Bay neighbourhoods.
• St. Joseph High School: New school routes 677 and 679 will be introduced to provide service for students living in the Old Barrhaven / Barrhaven West area.