Our Public Transit System — A City of Ottawa Snapshot

Ottawa’s public transit system delivers a modern, safe, reliable and accessible service carrying 350,000 customer trips every weekday. Public transit is expanding and developing to meet the changing mobility needs of a growing population. Increased transit use benefits all residents and contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable, and more liveable city.

Key Transit Activities and Accomplishments

• Launched a Light Rail Pilot Project that has exceeded ridership expectations. Initially projected at 6,400 riders a day, the O-Train consistently carries an average of 9,400 passengers a day over an eight-kilometre track, serving five stations. The O-Train project has paved the way for a new Light Rail system.
• In the spring of 2010, passengers will be able to ride the new 29.4 kilometre downtown-to-Barrhaven O-Train line, which is estimated to cost $778 million (2005 dollars). By expanding Light Rail, the City is contributing to Kyoto goals with less noise and air pollution than other modes of travel. Light Rail may attract new transit riders that will help meet the 2021 target of doubling the current number of commuters who choose a transportation alternative to cars. O-Train ridership is expected to grow to 43,500 daily riders by 2011, and 62,600 by 2021. Light Rail is also expected to attract commercial investment and encourage more development along the O-Train corridor.
• Launched Environmental Assessment (EA) studies to identify the best routes for future East-West Light Rail Transit lines to complement the Bus Transitways, the roads network, and the downtown-to-Barrhaven Light Rail line.
• Expanded the Southwest Transitway from the Nepean Sportsplex to Fallowfield Station to ease travel to and from South Nepean.
• Built the new Rideau Canal pedestrian bridge connecting residents on the West side of the Canal to Campus Transitway Station, the University of Ottawa, and the Sandy Hill community on the East side.
• Investing $210 million to buy 278 new low-floor buses over the next four years, ensuring a modern, accessible and reliable transit service. Of the total fleet purchase, 128 will be high-capacity buses that will help meet the needs of the growing population.

Did You Know?

• More than one billion transit riders have been served since 1983.
• The O-Train carries an average of 9,400 customer trips each weekday, and celebrated its five millionth rider in January 2005.
• 910 OC Transpo buses provide 8,000 hours of service to 350,000 riders on an average fall/winter weekday.
• OC Transpo ridership has increased from 70 million trips in 1997 to 90 million trips in 2005.
• Para Transpo delivers 695,000 trips annually to registered customers, door-to-door, and has an active fleet of 129 contracted vehicles and approximately 37 contracted taxis.

Transit Initiatives Implemented

The City has invested considerable resources in Ottawa’s public transit network, making it one of the best in North America. Notable accomplishments and initiatives include:

• Worked in conjunction with Ottawa 20/20 to develop a Transportation Master Plan that identifies ways to minimize daily commuter trips, relieve traffic congestion, and encourage greener methods of travel such as walking, cycling and public transit.
• Conducted the Rapid Transit Expansion Study as part of the Transportation Master Plan to develop an efficient rapid transit network to satisfy the City's future transit needs, and reduce or defer the need to build more roads.
• Improved public transit to rural areas in the communities of Cumberland Village, Carlsbad Springs, Gloucester South, Kars, Leitrim, Manotick, Munster Hamlet, Navan, North Gower, Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Richmond, Stittsville and Vars.
• Constructed the Terry Fox Transitway Station and Park & Ride lot at Kanata Centrum to improve access to public transit in Ottawa’s West end.
• Added the Eagleson West and Trim Road Park & Ride lots, for a total of 800 new spaces, to encourage drivers to leave their vehicles behind and take public transit.
• Continued to improve accessible services to accommodate customers with special needs. Since 1997, 626 low-floor buses have been purchased, making 65% of the bus fleet accessible. By 2014, the entire transit network should be accessible.
• Introduced a low-cost Community Pass for recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program and registered Para Transpo customers that enables more low-income residents to take conventional transit.
• Installed Rack & Roll bike racks on 283 buses, making it easier for cyclists to use public transit.
• Introduced the automated Travel Planner on octranspo.com to enable customers to create instant travel plans on the web.
• Introduced the Adult Annual pass and the Student Semester pass pilot project that gives customers more choice, convenience and savings.
• Implementation of regulated improvements in 2007 for cleaner diesel emission.
• Created wheelchair platforms for two heavily used bus stops along Hazeldean Road to improve accessibility.
• Created 55 new Park & Ride spaces at the Orléans Recreation Complex and constructed a new pedestrian path and stairway to improve connections to the transit stop at Jeanne d’Arc and Highway 174.
• Installed GPS equipment and an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system on Para Transpo vehicles to increase productivity and improve service to customers.

New Initiatives

Ottawa’s population is growing which will result in more cars and trucks travelling through the capital on a daily basis. The City’s goal is to make public transit an attractive alternative to driving, especially during rush hour, in order to reduce traffic congestion. In the next five years, the City is forecast to invest over $1.15 billion in transit projects, including:

• Introducing an automated fare collection system, or Smart Card, that will make paying for transit more convenient.
• Increasing the bus fleet by an additional 93 high-capacity, fully accessible buses over the next four years to accommodate the high demand for service and those with special needs.
• Building a new transit garage to house additional buses.
• Constructing a new downtown-to-Barrhaven O-Train line, which will run from the city’s south urban community to downtown and the University of Ottawa by spring 2010.
• Building a new Transit Control Centre to regulate Light Rail and conventional transit.
• Expanding and building new Park & Ride lots, including 320 new spaces at the future Strandherd Park & Ride lot in Barrhaven.
• Rehabilitation of Transitway infrastructure.
• Introduction of a new GPS fleet tracking system on OC Transpo buses to improve service.
• Extending the West Transitway between Bayshore and Pinecrest to improve travel time and reliability.
• Expansion of the rapid transit network.
• Enhanced Security measures, including more staff, training and equipment.
• Investigating various bus propulsion systems and new technologies to reduce vehicle emissions and greenhouse gases.

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