New Video Screens Show Transpo Woes: MULVIHILL

Published 09/29/2025 · Updated 09/29/2025

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OC Transpo has just launched new solar-powered screens installed beside certain bus shelters in the City of Ottawa. They need some work.

The screens display route numbers and countdowns for the arrival of each bus.

The pilot project is aimed to provide transit riders with real-time bus information directly at stops. Screens have been installed at Bank and Somerset streets, the Civic Hospital on Carling Avenue, Bayshore Mall on Woodridge Crescent, and Kanata Eagleson Park and Ride.

At first blush, the new screens appear to suffer similar issues as the transit mobile app that tracks OC Transpo buses. Accuracy might not be its strong point. In one particular instance, comparing the tracking app and the bus stop screen for a Route 61 trip, the bus didn’t arrive at all, the time then disappeared off the screen, and the next bus was scheduled to arrive 37 minutes later. Buses have also been known to disappear from the app as well so neither are exactly helpful getting where one needs to go. Let’s not even get into synching the screen and the app with Google Maps.

The screens are designed to notify users of any cancelled buses. Cancelled trips will have a strike-through so customers are aware the bus will not be arriving at the scheduled time. But what happens next? If a bus is cancelled, is another rescheduled? If so, how long does it take to update the screen? How long might transit riders be stranded? It’s unlikely many customers don’t have a cell phone with the mobile app already downloaded so why, at a cost of $9,500 a pop, is the screen even needed? How helpful is the screen to transit riders if it doesn’t sync with the transit app or with Google Maps?

Many new electronic devices have hiccups. This one has indigestion.

It’s usually a good idea to iron them out beforehand.

Donna Mulvihill is a community activist and former hospital coordinator