|
|
|
May 18, 2022
OC Transpo ridership continues to trend upwards compared to 2021
The Transit Commission was advised today that OC Transpo ridership is slowly trending upwards on all modes of transit compared to April 2021.
During the Line 1 and conventional bus service update, OC Transpo noted the increase in ridership follows the continuing return of transit customers to on-site work and on-campus learning, as well as more residents now participating in many non-work and non-school activities. Ridership in April 2022 was 3.8 million customer trips compared to 2.2 million customer trips in April 2021. Although this is positive news, the effects of the pandemic continue to have an impact on ridership in Ottawa, more than in any other major city across the country. According to Statistics Canada, Ottawa had the highest rate of remote workers in the country, with close to half (47 per cent) of all workers performing their tasks from home between April and June 2021.
Overall, on-time performance and bus service availability remain high. The Transit Commission was informed that some recent operator shortages have caused customers to experience bus trip cancellations. Several factors contributed to these shortages, including COVID-19 impacts, retirements and other attrition, and the new work schedule adjustments to comply with the Canada Labour Code’s (CLC) requirement for scheduled work breaks. OC Transpo is actively working on solutions, including hiring up to 300 additional operators by the end of 2022, including 80 new operators approved by Council in the 2022 Budget to cover CLC breaks, monitoring performance and planning service requirements around the CLC-mandated break requirement. OC Transpo remains committed to working collaboratively with ATU Local 279 and other OC Transpo employees to implement these complex scheduling changes.
The Transit Commission was also informed that Para Transpo ridership has risen substantially from last year, with upwards of approximately 45,000 more customer-trips per month compared to last March and April. This upward trend is based on the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Para Transpo service performance is also trending upwards and currently sitting at 97 per cent.
OC Transpo’s operating budget saw a deficit of $17.9 million in the first quarter. The associated costs and revenue loss is attributed to two unplanned factors early in the year: the emergence of the Omicron variant and the trucker occupation. With pandemic-related shutdowns lifted, the trucker occupation cleared, and ridership recovering, OC Transpo expects to see improvements in revenue through the next quarter. The City of Ottawa continues to work with the federal and provincial governments as it awaits confirmation that Safe Restart funding will be provided to offset 100 per cent of the fare revenue lost due to the pandemic. The City is also leading discussions with the federal government to recover lost fare revenue because of the trucker occupation.
The Transit Commission also received OC Transpo’s 2021 Performance Report today.
Changing ridership levels and travel patterns due to the Delta and Omicron variants had a significant effect on 2021 performance. Bus and train ridership throughout 2021 was up by 22 percent from early in the pandemic, but still 33 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Para Transpo ridership at end of 2021 was up by 25 per cent from early in the pandemic, but still 58 per cent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
OC Transpo ridership continues to trend upwards compared to 2021
The Transit Commission was advised today that OC Transpo ridership is slowly trending upwards on all modes of transit compared to April 2021.
During the Line 1 and conventional bus service update, OC Transpo noted the increase in ridership follows the continuing return of transit customers to on-site work and on-campus learning, as well as more residents now participating in many non-work and non-school activities. Ridership in April 2022 was 3.8 million customer trips compared to 2.2 million customer trips in April 2021. Although this is positive news, the effects of the pandemic continue to have an impact on ridership in Ottawa, more than in any other major city across the country. According to Statistics Canada, Ottawa had the highest rate of remote workers in the country, with close to half (47 per cent) of all workers performing their tasks from home between April and June 2021.
Overall, on-time performance and bus service availability remain high. The Transit Commission was informed that some recent operator shortages have caused customers to experience bus trip cancellations. Several factors contributed to these shortages, including COVID-19 impacts, retirements and other attrition, and the new work schedule adjustments to comply with the Canada Labour Code’s (CLC) requirement for scheduled work breaks. OC Transpo is actively working on solutions, including hiring up to 300 additional operators by the end of 2022, including 80 new operators approved by Council in the 2022 Budget to cover CLC breaks, monitoring performance and planning service requirements around the CLC-mandated break requirement. OC Transpo remains committed to working collaboratively with ATU Local 279 and other OC Transpo employees to implement these complex scheduling changes.
The Transit Commission was also informed that Para Transpo ridership has risen substantially from last year, with upwards of approximately 45,000 more customer-trips per month compared to last March and April. This upward trend is based on the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Para Transpo service performance is also trending upwards and currently sitting at 97 per cent.
OC Transpo’s operating budget saw a deficit of $17.9 million in the first quarter. The associated costs and revenue loss is attributed to two unplanned factors early in the year: the emergence of the Omicron variant and the trucker occupation. With pandemic-related shutdowns lifted, the trucker occupation cleared, and ridership recovering, OC Transpo expects to see improvements in revenue through the next quarter. The City of Ottawa continues to work with the federal and provincial governments as it awaits confirmation that Safe Restart funding will be provided to offset 100 per cent of the fare revenue lost due to the pandemic. The City is also leading discussions with the federal government to recover lost fare revenue because of the trucker occupation.
The Transit Commission also received OC Transpo’s 2021 Performance Report today.
Changing ridership levels and travel patterns due to the Delta and Omicron variants had a significant effect on 2021 performance. Bus and train ridership throughout 2021 was up by 22 percent from early in the pandemic, but still 33 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Para Transpo ridership at end of 2021 was up by 25 per cent from early in the pandemic, but still 58 per cent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
|
Stage 2 construction changes start on April 24
Starting this Sunday, OC Transpo will leap into spring by implementing service adjustments for Stage 2 O-Train construction and implementing service improvements to new areas in coordination of the spring schedule changes. The Rack & Roll program will also be reinstated in full this spring with bike racks available on all buses. |
|
Stage 2 O-Train construction
|
|
- At Bayshore Station, the Transitway platforms and pedestrian overpass to the mall will be closed for construction. Access to the mall will be made at street level through the parking garage next to the station. Signage will be posted to help direct customers.
- To accommodate ongoing Stage 2 construction, Blair Station Bus Stop E will permanently close, and routes will be reassigned to serve nearby Stop D.
Stittsville service improvements
Route 167 will be renumbered as Route 67 and adjusted to provide improved service from new areas in Stittsville, with peak period service to and from Tunney’s Pasture Station. During the off-peak period, Route 67 will operate between Stittsville and Terry Fox Station. Route 252 will be shortened slightly in Stittsville, as Route 67 will provide Abbottsville Crossing and Blackstone residents with a connection to O-Train Line 1 at Tunney’s Pasture Station.
Riverside South and River Road service improvements
Routes 198 and 299 will be adjusted to serve customers in the new area south of Earl Armstrong and along River Road. Route 198 will have two new trips northbound in the morning and two new trips southbound in the afternoon which will start and end on Borbridge Avenue. Route 299 will be adjusted to travel along Borbridge and Brian Good Avenues.
Service adjustments
- Schedule adjustments will be made on many routes to match seasonal ridership, improve reliability, or better meet the travel needs of customers. Customers should check octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000 for route schedules.
- Some school trips will be adjusted to better align with current school travel needs. Details will be communicated directly to the school authorities and will also be made available on octranspo.com.
- Night Route N39 will be adjusted to serve Hurdman Station, improving connections with other late night and overnight routes.
Seasonal Construction
- Routes 10 and 16: Customers should expect increased travel times due to reconstruction work on Albert Street, Queen Street, Slater Street and Bronson Avenue.
- Routes 15, 20, 615 and 616: Service will once again be detoured due to ongoing construction related to the Montréal Road Revitalization project. Detours will be slightly modified compared to the detours last year.
Visit octranspo.com or call 613-560-5000 for more information about OC Transpo spring service and schedules.
|
OC Transpo spring service changes Sunday, April 24.
Full details of all service changes will be communicated to customers throughout April including the Rack and Roll Program which will be reinstated in full this spring. All buses in the fleet will be equipped with a bike rack. |
In the meantime, OC Transpo has several customer-friendly applications and tools to assist customers in accessing timely information about our service while on the go.
These include texting 560560 for real-time bus schedule information, downloading the OC Transpo iPhone app or an independent app, signing up for text alerts on octranspo.com to receive the latest information, checking transit information screens at many major stations, as well as visiting octranspo.com from a smartphone.
Real-time information is also available by calling 613-560-1000 plus the bus stop number. Once spring service changes begin on April 24, customers can find up-to-date schedules and real-time information by using these applications and tools. Please go to octranspo.com or to the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (613-560-5000) for more information.
These include texting 560560 for real-time bus schedule information, downloading the OC Transpo iPhone app or an independent app, signing up for text alerts on octranspo.com to receive the latest information, checking transit information screens at many major stations, as well as visiting octranspo.com from a smartphone.
Real-time information is also available by calling 613-560-1000 plus the bus stop number. Once spring service changes begin on April 24, customers can find up-to-date schedules and real-time information by using these applications and tools. Please go to octranspo.com or to the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (613-560-5000) for more information.
|
OC Transpo’s new My Para Transpo application to make it easier for customers to book a trip online is live!
To learn more about OC Transpo’s My Para Transpo online application, you can visit octranspo.com. |