To manage challenges caused by inclement weather and to mitigate these impacts, OC Transpo has a range of operational plans and procedures, some of which include:
- Increasing maintenance staffing levels prior to and throughout weather events;
- Inspecting all mobile support vehicles and related equipment (such as generators);
- Plugging-in buses that are stored outdoors and starting and warming buses before they leave the garage;
- Prioritizing salting and snow removal at strategic locations;
- Coordinating with Road Services to manage snow clearing operations at priority locations throughout the transit network;
- Securing additional resources, such as contracted tow trucks and on-street resources, as required, to assist with maintaining service levels and to keep the Transitway clear;
- Mitigating impacts from defects or immobilized buses;
- Re-allocating resources for potential air conditioning maintenance when extreme heat is forecasted, as the entire bus fleet is equipped with air conditioning;
- Increasing the frequency of railway inspections along the rail corridor;
- Deploying specialized rail borne snow clearing equipment and increasing contracted resources for current rail operations;
- Increasing operational staffing levels to monitor and address any issues that may impact service delivery;
- Prioritizing work and eliminating any non-essential work throughout the duration of a weather event;
- Participating in the Traffic Incident Management Group (TIMG) and the City’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate a timely response to emerging events;
- Enhancing communications with the staff in the Customer Service Centre to ensure accurate and up-to-date information is provided to customers prior, during, and following an event; and,
- Sending regular updates and alerts to customers on the effects of the weather event on our service
In the event of any service delays or other transit related impacts, OC Transpo proactively communicates these impacts to our customers as they happen through various communications channels, including: octranspo.com, on Twitter @OC_Transpo, @OCTranspoLive and @OCTranspoDirect, the OC Transpo iPhone app, and text alerts (both SMS and e-mail formats). OC Transpo also sends messages via these channels ahead of weather events, advising customers of potential delays and suggesting they plan ahead.
