Over 200 OC Transpo bus trips cancelled for a fourth straight day
Ottawa transit riders are dealing a fourth day of frustrations and waiting for the bus, as a staffing shortage resulted in hundreds of cancelled bus trips across the capital.
"We have been heading towards this type of crisis in our transit system for sometime," Coun. Catherine McKenney says.
According to the Twitter feed OCTranspoLive, more than 210 bus trips had been cancelled as of 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. OC Transpo reported 324 trips were cancelled on Wednesday, 324 trips cancelled on Thursday, and more than 200 trips were cancelled on Friday morning.
McKenney told Newstalk 580 CFRA on Friday that Council's approval of an OC Transpo route optimization plan in 2011 to save $20 million and the elimination of over 100 buses and driver positions with the launch of light-rail transit left the system vulnerable to staffing issues.
"We've got an extreme shortage of drivers, buses – we just don't have any extra capacity in the system, anything goes wrong and your bus doesn't show up," the mayoral candidate said.
OC Transpo has warned the high number of bus trip cancellations could continue into next week due to a number of "short-term factors."
"The number of staff who worked overtime last week while O-Train Line 1 was being repaired, higher than-usual sick leave absences, and normal seasonal vacations," OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar said in a memo on Friday.
Amilcar says OC Transpo is "making every effort" to improve service reliability for the balance of August and to prepare for September.
"Very frustrating, very inconvenient. Not what we want, we want reliability – that is the number one job of a transit system," Coun. Theresa Kavanagh told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now on Friday.
Kavanagh says when people rely on public transit to get to work, school or run errands, they need reliable service.
"You hear about individual cases where somebody couldn't get to where they had to go and lots of frustration, especially for people who have to change multiple times to get to a destination … if that link is broken they've really got a problem," Kavanagh said.
OC Transpo says 32 new bus operators will come on-board in mid-August to help relieve the staffing crunch and boost service.
Kavanagh says the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming launch of Stage 2 of the LRT system presents the city with a chance to change the transit system.
"What routes are really needed? That is the big question," Kavanagh said. "Some routes have empty buses, I think everybody knows that, but there's a few people that really depends on them. These are tough decisions."
OC Transpo operates approximately 7,900 trips a day. The transit service continues to run below capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic as employees with the federal government and other businesses continue to work from home and lifestyles have changed.
Ridership numbers for June, released by Coun. Glen Gower on Twitter, show 3.8 million passengers used public transit, below the 2022 budget of 5.8 million expected passengers. In 2019, 6.8 million passengers used public transit in June.
Kavanagh says the city must work with the federal government and other major employers to look at the future of the office and commuters using the transit service.
"The reliability is really important, but we have to look also at who's our customer base, where are they going and do they need monthly passes – maybe they don't anymore."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.