As many as eight Centretown bus routes could be affected by a proposed new business plan to reduce OC Transpo’s operating costs by $7.2 million this year.
The routes running through Centretown which have been identified as possibly affected, are the #3, 4, 5, 6, 16, 101, 102 and #153. Some of which, such as the #5, have been listed in all three categories, possibly reduced, consolidated or removed.
The plan does not lay out exactly how each route will be affected. Faced with a lack of information about the changes, transit users say they are uncertain as to how these could affect them.
In February, OC Transpo and the city’s transit commission, released the new plan that might lead to the removal, reduction or consolidation of 42 bus routes city-wide.
“It could potentially affect our foot traffic,” says Harriet Walker, manager of the Bridgehead, kitty corner to several bus stops at Bank Street and Gilmour, about the proposed changes.
But how exactly, she’s not sure and will have to wait until more details are released to assess how her business could be affected.
One nearby resident who uses the bus to get to doctor’s appointments, says he never checks a schedule and simply relies on the convenience and frequency of the multiple routes which service upper Bank Street.
However, without knowing which routes will be affected and how, he says it's hard to say how the changes will affect his ability to get where he needs to go.
“Cutting out the #5 would be a minor inconvenience,” says Neil Peterson a 35-year-old who uses the system mainly to get to work. He says he had only vaguely heard about the possible changes and also guesses he would simply have to take one of the other routes that bring him to work.
Chris Jenkins, a Carleton English literature student, on the other hand says he is worried about the reduction or consolidation of the #4 in particular. He had not yet heard of the possible changes.
“It would definitely affect me if they cut the 4. At Carleton, trying to catch a bus is hell, having less buses would be hell. I’ve had to wait for the third or fourth #4 to be able to get on it.”
Although he walks and bikes in the summer, he has increased his reliance of the bus system since the U-pass was introduced. But without exact details he will just have to wait and see how they will in fact affect him.