With the O-Train Lines 2 and 4 running seven days a week, get ready to hear about the “New Ways to Bus” from OC Transpo.
OC Transpo briefed councillors about the details of the initiative plan during the Mar. 17 Transit Committee meeting.
“New Ways to Bus” will see changes to more than 100 bus routes. The changes will come into effect on Apr. 27. The goal of the rerouting is to improve service reliability, with OC Transpo aiming for a mark of 99.5 per cent.
“New Ways to Bus aims to respond to the changes in travel patterns and ridership levels that we’ve seen,” said Matthew Wolstenholme, OC Transpo’s service planning manager, told the meeting. “It prepares to connect customers to new O-Train stations and importantly aims to improve overall social liability.”
Many route changes were based on consultations with transit riders, as well as feedback from city councillors. This resulted in the 2023 Bus Route Review, on which New Ways to Bus is based.
Among the more popular bus routes changing include the 85, which will run from Lees to Bayshore but no longer serve the Gatineau stop. Barrhaven’s route 171 will also be replaced by route 70, which will provide a direct link to the Line 2 LRT.
River Coun. Riley Brockington said during the session that he is concerned many are not aware of the coming changes.
“I am not just interested in the bus changes that are coming,” Brockington said. “We still haven’t invited people to take the Trillium line that’s opened.”
Amanda Thompson, OC Transpo’s Manager of Transit Strategic Communications, said the New Ways to Bus campaign will see a colourful household mailout beginning in early April.
“We made it that shape and that bright colour to make it stand out against the other ad mail people might find in their mailbox so that it will draw their attention,” Thompson said. “As for Lines 2 and 4, we also have a mailout going for that.”
The New Ways to Bus initiative will also include new signs, including some placed in neighbourhoods to advertise the route changes. OC Transpo will also roll out paid advertising, including short videos shown at the committee meeting.
The re-routing of buses will lead to some challenges. For example, more frequent service to major routes will see resources being reallocated from other lines. Walk times to stations may also be affected. Additionally, the 200-series routes will go away, with local routes extended in place of these.
All route changes can be found on the New Ways to Bus website.
“The launch of O-Train Lines 2 and 4, and the New Ways to Bus network brings significant change, as well as new opportunities for our city,” Thompson said. “We recognize that once the new network is in place, it’s a good time to encourage more residents to use transit.”
