36 Buses Run On LRT Replacement Service
Where do these buses come from?
My understanding is that they are taken off other routes. What happens to those routes? Anyway it’s worth pondering, particularly if you are reading The Bulldog beside a bus shelter and your ride doesn’t show.
Your agent has calls in to media relations to answer these questions … so we’ll see.
In the meantime, this is a release from the City of Ottawa:
Good morning Mayor and Members of Council,
I am writing to provide a brief update on service levels customers can expect today.
R1 service began this morning at 5:00am with 12 buses. During peak periods this will be further increased to 36 buses.
‘There Are Hundreds Of Bad Axles Lying Around In A Corner’
Line 1 stations remain closed, and our staff are currently at major transit stations providing support to customers during their trip. Our team continues to meet regularly to review any feedback and are reviewing potential route enhancements to R1 service.
Social media updates continue to be shared and customers are encouraged to check OCTranspo.com for the latest information regarding their trip.
I will continue to share updates as further information becomes available.
Thank you,
Renée Amilcar
General Manager, Transit Services Department
City of Ottawa
—
Don’t miss our regular features
Everything Ottawa Full Local Bulldog Canadian
Opinion Comments Breaking News Hood Hub
Ontario World Get Cheap Gas Big Money
Pop Gossip Your Home Relax …
Bulldog Weather Full Local Sports
Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
– The Bulldog – News Feed Enter 
With the recent revelation that 27 OC Transpo “bus cleaners” will be laid off, how long will it be before these “extra” buses arrive in a state of “not readiness” to accept passengers? Will we have to take our lead from Sheldon Cooper of Big Bang Theory fame and wear “bus pants”?
Ron:
… or hip-waders for the public pronouncements?
cheers
kgray
Mme Amilcar claims that the extra buses are taken off routes that would normally run at a five minute interval and that it means those routes should be coming every eight minutes instead. What she doesn’t mention is that the routes that run that frequently are the core routes on the city’s bus system and are often very full even coming every five minutes.
During a two-hour rush hour, five minute service means there are twenty-four buses. On an eight-minute service, there are fifteen buses so nine fewer over the period. The result is that those fifteen buses fill up early in their route and then drive by people waiting at stops further on.
Depending on whether it’s a single, articulated or double decker bus that normally serves the route, each busload is between 60 and 100 people. Nine fewer buses means somewhere between 500 and 900 people are being shuffled onto other buses which may be already full.
Going forward, as Phase two and three of the LRT are opened, we will lose even more bus routes as those that now transport people in areas the new service will cover are mothballed. (It’s so hard to use the word ‘service’ in reference to any part of the LRT these days!) We will also have fewer buses and fewer bus operators overall in the fleet that can be diverted to replace the train capacity. That means that a system shutdown such as we’re experiencing now will have even more disastrous consequences. Can’t wait!