The Spring 2019 transit service changes will start on Sunday, April 21. These changes are part of OC Transpo’s regular schedule adjustments, which take place four times a year – April, June, September and December. Transit Commission and City Council members are provided with a summary of the service changes in advance of each new schedule period.
The spring service changes include three types of changes:
- Service improvement;
- Route renumbering; and,
- Seasonal service changes.
Service Improvements:
- Route 164, 252 – Adjusted to operate in the community rather than on Hope Side Road, to increase service coverage in Bridlewood and to avoid the need for customers to cross Hope Side Road at unsignalized locations.
- Route 252 will operate via Hope Side Road, Crownridge, Meadowbreeze, Summergaze, Summitview, and Stonehaven to Old Richmond.
- Route 164 will operate via Hope Side Road, Crownridge, Meadowbreeze and Summergaze.
Route renumbering:
- Route 257 – Route 269 will be retired out of respect for those who passed away or were injured in the Westboro Station bus collision. The route will be renumbered as Route 257.
Seasonal Service Changes:
Changes to post-secondary school service – The frequency of service will be reduced on O-Train Line 2, the Trillium Line, serving Carleton University in the evening on weekdays and Saturdays, and during the day on Sundays. Sufficient capacity will continue to be available for expected ridership levels, and there will be no change to the times of the first or last trips.
Rack and Roll Program – The Rack and Roll program of bicycle racks on buses will be reinstated this spring, running through to the fall. The Rack and Roll network consists of Routes 12, 61, 62, 85, 88, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, and 106, to provide this service on major routes across the City. The majority of trips on these routes will operate with a bus equipped with a bike rack.
Construction Detours –
- Routes 5 and 14 will continue to be impacted by the Elgin Street Renewal Project.
- Route 10 may be detoured around roadwork on Bronson Street.
- Routes 40 and 48 will continue to be impacted by roadwork on St-Laurent Boulevard and Walkley Road.
- Routes 283 and 301 will continue to be detoured around roadwork on the Richmond Bridge.
- Routes 12, 14, 18 and 19 may experience delays in service along Montréal Road due to construction from North River Road to Vanier Parkway.
- Routes 44, 61, 95 and 105 may experience some delays in service due to roadwork on the Chaudière Crossing.
- Routes 228 and 302 may be impacted by construction on Navan between Renaud and Mer Bleue.
- Routes 252 and 256 may experience delays in service because of construction on Old Richmond Road between West Hunt Club and Hope Side Road.
Easter Monday – On Monday, April 22, service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule.
Victoria Day Holiday – On Monday, May 20, service will operate on Sunday schedules.
Full details of these service changes are being communicated to customers through March and April with the use of printed and electronic materials. Please direct customers to octranspo.com or to the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (613-741-4390) for more information.
As a reminder, the new and increased services that are funded by the allocation of an additional $5.1 million per year in the 2019 transit budget will begin after the opening of O-Train Line 1. We will advise of the start day for these expanded services once the opening date for the new light rail service is firm.
OC Transpo has a number of customer-friendly applications and tools so that customers can access 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.mobi to view our website on a smartphone. Real time information is also available by calling 613-560-1000 plus the bus stop number. Once the spring service changes begin on April 21, customers can find up-to-date schedules and real time information by using these applications and tools.
The OC Transpo website will also provide all information to assist customers during this transition. Customers will be encouraged to visit www.octranspo.com to check out the information.
