Earlier this week I shared the service enhancements that will occur on January 5th that will specifically improve our Kanata North bus service. More details on this can be found here. Today I’d like to share an update on some additional issues discussed this week at Transit Commission.
Bus Cancellations
- Bus routes are cancelled for a variety of reasons including traffic, unanticipated detour, collision, shortage of operators, illness or issue with a passenger, and weather.
- The Transit Operations Control Centre has a list of scheduled services for the day:
- When the Centre receives information that a trip may be missed, they assess all options to cover service;
- Extra buses with operators are strategically placed on standby at key locations across the city in order to make quick adjustments to service;
- Cancelling a trip is always the last option after all other ways of adjusting service are exhausted, and,
- The Control Centre works hard to fill trips up to the last minute with priority being given to routes with highest ridership.
- Cancelled trips are automatically reflected in the OC Transpo app, on the display screens in stations, and pushed out in open data for third party apps as soon as possible. Additional customer service and communications staff are being hired to bolster communications on other channels in a timelier manner.
- Driver shortage is a continued issue, which is impacting our service.
- OC Transpo has been actively recruiting and has ongoing hiring and training of 23 operators every 30 days from now until June 2020.
- Part of this hiring will help to build up extra capacity of spare operators to assist, but also to build up recovery time between trips.
- New software has been purchased and is being set up that will give us better predictions of departure times. The current system has no ability to start these predictions before the bus starts moving. The new system has added intelligence and insights. It will gradually be rolled out over the coming year. The release schedule has not been confirmed yet.
R1 Replacement Service
- The staging of the buses for replacement service in case of a problem on O-Train Line 1 has been revised and will be divided between multiple locations to increase effectiveness:
- AM PEAK: Bayview Station Road, Westboro Transitway, Hurdman Station, RCGT Baseball Stadium, Blair Station
- PM PEAK: Bayview Station Road, Hurdman Station, RCGT Baseball Stadium, St. Laurent Station
- Staff are also developing protocols to minimize idling when temperatures permit.
LRT Stations
- Ongoing assessment of possible enhancements to the LRT stations continues. Application of anti-slip coating to floors and stairs continues.
- Ongoing communications regarding holding the doors occurs, including new signage in the new year.
I will continue to work with OC Transpo management, staff and the community to ensure the service meets our needs. Please continue to reach out and share any concerns or issues you are experiencing.