19 Apr OC Transpo Spring Service Starts April 23
Ottawa – Starting Sunday, April 23, OC Transpo will introduce new route numbers for many routes as part of getting ready for the opening of the O-Train Confederation Line in 2018. Other spring service changes include adjusted schedules and seasonal reductions to reflect the lower demand for service. The Rack & Roll program also returns with bike racks on more than 600 buses.
Customers should visit octranspo.com and use the travel planner to see if their regular trips are affected.
New route numbers, same route
Fourteen bus routes will be renumbered across the city as part of the transition to the 2018 transit network. These routes will have new numbers, but the routes will remain the same. OC Transpo is also introducing three new service types: Rapid, Frequent, and Local. Each service type has its own distinctive colour and symbol, which customers will see on new bus stop signs.
Route renumbering details:
- Routes 92 and 96 will be renumbered as Rapid Routes 62 and 61 respectively
- Routes 2, 118, and 176 will be renumbered as Frequent Routes 11, 88, and 80 respectively
- Nine other Local routes will be renumbered
Spring Service Adjustments
- Spring seasonal reductions will be made to reflect lower ridership levels on Routes 4, 85, 104, 111, and 129 that serve post-secondary schools. As in previous years, service levels on the O-Train Trillium Line will be reduced after 9 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays, to match reduced seasonal ridership.
- Routes 63 and 64 schedules in Kanata North will be adjusted and capacity will be increased at certain times to respond to feedback from customers and to improve connections to Briarbrook and Morgan’s Grant.
- Afternoon 86C trips on Route 86 will start and end at Mackenzie King instead of Hurdman Station for increased reliability.
- Minor trip time adjustments will be made on Connexion Routes 256, 262, and 265 in response to customer requests.
- Special school trips on regular routes and 600-series school routes will be adjusted based on ridership levels. Some trips will be added, while others will be adjusted or cancelled. For a complete list of routes and trips affected, visit com.
- Exterior bus announcements will be rolled-out starting on April 23 and continuing through May. These announcements will provide customers waiting at a bus stop or station platform with an audible, bilingual announcement of the route and destination.
- Customers who pay with cash or tickets and receive a transfer will also notice the introduction of a barcode on transfers. This update is linked to the upcoming introduction of fare gates at O-Train Trillium and Confederation Line stations.
Summer U-Pass starts May 1 and Winter U-Pass expires
From May through August, eligible full-time students at Algonquin College, Carleton University, University of Ottawa and Saint Paul University benefit from the Summer U-Pass, which can be obtained or renewed on campus. Students who are not full-time during the summer are reminded that their U-Pass will expire on April 30 and to switch to Presto for their summer transit needs.
Paper passes will be discontinued in 2017
Adult, Community, and Senior paper passes will be phased out this summer. The last Adult paper pass available will be June while the last Senior and Community paper passes will be July. The current ticket type will also be phased out in late fall and a comparable single ride option will replace it. Customers should make the switch to Presto soon or continue to pay cash. Visit octranspo.com for more information.
Real-time schedule information is available 24 hours a day by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus the four‑digit bus stop number. Register for alerts at octranspo.com to receive news or route-specific changes or detours by e-mail or text. Standard rates apply to SMS messages. New printed timetables are now available. For more details and travel planning assistance, customers should call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit www.octranspo.com.