What Other Risky Business At OC Transpo?

I get shivers up my spine when I think of that OC Transpo supervisor who put a driver who wasn’t ready for it back behind the wheel of a bus because of pressure to keep the buses rolling.

Obviously it couldn’t come up at the recent Westboro bus crash inquest but I wonder what other risky decisions have been and presumably are still being made at OC Transpo.

The transit company is short right now of the number of vehicles it needs to provide the service it has committed to. Does it have enough drivers? Is pressure still being brought to bear to get buses and drivers on the road when they may not be ready? How would we even know that?

There have been other incidents at Westboro station specifically and we know there have been others across the system. How many are the result of similar pressure being brought to bear to ignore safe practices? How many close calls have there been? Have we just been lucky that none of these other incidents have involved loss of life or serious injury to the extent of the Westboro tragedy?

Aside from the human cost of these incidents, what has been the cost in other resources? We know that this was the second bus totalled by one driver in a relatively short period of time. What do those buses cost and what’s been the cost of repair for other OC Transpo vehicles? What about damage to other assets besides the buses?

What has the city paid out in damages over the years to passengers and property owners as the result of collisions? We know that the Fallowfield and Westboro incidents were responsible for many millions of dollars in settlements and other payouts. And they are just the beginning.

How much better would the city be if these deaths, injuries and equipment losses weren’t happening? What if the money and resources going into these things were being invested instead in better bus and train service? What if … But there’s no use in such futile speculation. We know we aren’t getting the transit service we deserve and are paying for. Unfortunately, we also know that’s unlikely to change any time soon.

The Voter is a respected community activist and long-time Bulldog commenter who prefers to keep her identity private.

For You:

Federal Gov’t Will Get Smaller: PATTON

New Barrhaven Bus Routes ‘OK’: LO

Postal Strike Could Skew Tax Billing

City Contributes To Housing Shortage: X

Who’s Paying Amilcar’s Extra Costs: THE VOTER

Bookmark The Bulldog, click here

Support The Bulldog
Real journalism isn’t free — but it’s priceless. Help power The Bulldog’s independent voice with a contribution today. Every bit helps.

Click here to support The Bulldog.

Sponsor The Bulldog
Get your brand in front of thousands of loyal readers who trust us — and care about this city. Sponsor The Bulldog and be part of something that matters.

Email The Bulldog for a sponsorship
kengray20@gmail.com