Imagine if you owned a car that was over 15 years old. You’ve had to replace its engine or transmission a couple of times. Each time you take it for maintenance, the shop tells you it requires 30 to 40 hours of service due to issues like “advanced structural deterioration.” Despite these challenges, you continue driving it extensively around the city.
Now, visualize owning 330 articulated city buses branded with the red-and-white OC Transpo logo. Recently, Ottawa’s transit users have been expressing frustration about waiting at bus stops only to find out that their buses have been canceled.
Following the holiday break, passengers experienced significantly longer wait times. Ordinarily, OC Transpo cancels one out of every 40 buses, which is already worse than its target of one in 200. However, on January 5, the cancellation rate spiked to one in 10.
These were not just delayed buses; they were buses that never even commenced their routes. The situation deteriorated to the extent that OC Transpo had to eliminate hundreds of trips from its schedules and issue apologies to passengers.
Bus reliability has long been a concern in Ottawa. Previous issues in 2019 included a shortage of drivers and an unreliable LRT system, leading OC Transpo to keep buses on standby for replacement services.
Despite hiring more drivers and improving train services since then, the problem of buses not showing up persists.
The aging diesel buses are a major contributor to the current crisis. With the delay in the arrival of electric buses ordered to replace them, OC Transpo has been forced to operate the diesel buses well beyond their expected lifespan. This results in more complex issues and longer repair times, leading to a shortage of operational buses.
Currently, OC Transpo has 738 buses, but it needs 520 in operation during peak periods. However, in the first week after the holidays, the average number of buses available was only 467 on weekdays.
Noah Vineberg, president of Amalgamated Transit Union 279, expressed concerns about OC Transpo overcommitting and underdelivering. The aging fleet of buses, including both articulated and non-articulated models, is facing structural deterioration and requiring extensive repairs.
The situation is compounded by a shortage of skilled mechanics. OC Transpo needs 180 licensed mechanics but currently only has 140. The recruitment campaign to find more mechanics faces stiff competition from other transit agencies.
Efforts to transition to a more reliable electric bus fleet have been hindered by delays in deliveries due to supply chain issues. Despite the challenges, OC Transpo remains optimistic that with time and training, the bus reliability situation will improve, albeit with short-term challenges.