OC Transpo - Features

Features

OC Transpo currently has a fleet of 1,048 buses (as of September 2011) that run on regular streets, all of which are fully accessible. The vast majority of regular routes are served by low-floor buses. OC Transpo utilizes many articulated buses to provide service. Some of the routes that run on the Transitway, including the city's most-used bus routes, are served almost exclusively by articulated buses (e.g. 95, 96, and 97). It is the most expansive public transportion in Canada.

In 2001, a pilot diesel-powered light rail service project, known as the O-Train, was introduced. The local government had announced expansion plans for the light rail to other parts of Ottawa, including a possible link to the Ottawa International Airport. Service to Gatineau would have also been possible, over the nearby Prince of Wales railway bridge over the Ottawa River. However, on December 14, 2006, City Council led by Mayor Larry O'Brien had cancelled the north-south extension project. A new model of the project, to have a city-wide integrated light rail system, has been made and the revised project should be completed by 2007, with work beginning as early as 2008. This new project envisions rapid LRT service at metro standard on the original Transiways from Baseline Station in the west to Blair Station in the east. The current gap between the east end west branches of Transitway will be replaced by a new downtown Subway under Queen and Rideau streets with 3 150 meter underground stations. The O-Train will be converted to a dual track LRT metro and extended to Riverside South and include a spur to the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, thus creating direct airport to downtown service. As for the suburbs, they will be served by 65 km of new Transitways. The first phase of the project includes 12.5 km of rail between Tunney's Pasture and Blair including the downtown subway.

For a number of years, OC Transpo has carried bicycle racks on some routes as a part of the "Rack&Roll" campaign. These racks carry up to two bicycles at the front of the bus, and fold up against the bus when not in use. Although it started only on three routes, this service has been expanded to include routes 1, 2, 4, 7, 12, 14, 85, 95, 96, 97, 99 101, 102, 105, 118, the O-Train, all articulated (long) buses and several new Invero low-floor buses (in addition, bike racks do randomly end up on other routes from time to time). Traditionally, the racks have been available only between April and October, and there has been much debate over continuing the program throughout the year. However, cyclists may use the racks at any time, on any bus that is equipped with a rack (including routes that don't normally offer them), provided there is room for the cyclist in the bus.

There are four bus depots located throughout the city. The largest and headquarters is located at 1500 St. Laurent Boulevard, with two other smaller but frequently used depots being located at 168 Colonnade Road (Merivale Garage) and the other on Queensview Drive (Pinecrest Garage). A depot which opened its doors late 2010 is located on Industrial Ave. The Queensview and Colonnade garages are usually for employees working during the rush hour and generally not used during weekends. For the latter two stations, it consists mostly of older buses although some articulated buses (in the 60xx's) can be found at Colonnade and other low-floor buses at both Colonnade (Inveros in the 42xx's) and Queensview (Orion VI).