Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission
| Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission | |
|---|---|
| http://i.imgur.com/6e3a3.jpg | |
| Info | |
| Transit type |
Bus Paratransit Train |
| Number of lines | 248 |
| Daily ridership | 535,600 (Daily) |
| Chief executive | Alain Mercier |
| Headquarters |
1500 St. Laurent Bvld Ottawa, Ontario |
| Website | www.octranspo.com |
| Operation | |
| Began operation | August 1st, 1972 |
| Operator(s) | City of Ottawa |
| Number of vehicles | Approx. 1050 |
OC Transpo, formally known as Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission is the urban transit service for the Ottawa region of Ontario. Some routes enter the city of Gatineau, Quebec during peak hours.
OC Transpo provides a regular (accesable and non-accesable) bus service, a para-transit service (Para Transpo), and a light-rail train service (O-Train).
History
On August 1st, 1972, OC Transpo took over the Ottawa Transportation Commission (OTC) in order to expand it's services thoughout neighbouring cities. In early 1973, the commission revealed their new livery, giving them a distinctive red and white livery to the their ever growing fleet of buses. They also added 11 km of dedicated bus lanes. The commission continued to grow and provide improvements and in 1974 lauched a para-transit service, offering a door to door service for people suffering from various disabilities, and this such service was named Para Transpo in 1981.
In 1976, 2 new systems were introced, the first people the start of exact fare abord buses (tested in 1974, during the evening routes only, expanded to regualar routes in 1976), and the launch of the monthy pass, giving a user who purchases it, to have unlimited access to the bus through the valid month. In order to gain ridership and popularity, OC Transpo started offering Sunday service on some of it's routes and launched an automated telephone scheldule system on 560 east-end bus stops, which later was expanded to all stops in 1981.
The launch of the Proof of Payment in 1982 was introduced in 1982, the same year as the purchase of 21 GM New Look articulated buses. and a new fare structure, to encourage use of the system all day was launched in 1987. In 1998, a face-lift to the livery of the buses was done. Dubbed as the KFC livery, for the resemblance to the KFC colors, came the same year as the purchase of the first low-floor series, providing wheelchair accesable service throughout the network.
In 2000, a pilot project was launched, The O-Train (officially started service in 2001) is a light-rail train service connecting key parts of Ottawa. Though a pilot project, the line has been kept running because of disagreements and political deadlock with the city council. 2009 marked the year, OC Transpo lauched 24 hours service on Route 95 Orléans & Trim, a first in Canada.
Other projects and service inprovements launched by the commission include;
- Scheldules and route maps were installed at bus stops to inform riders (1983).
- Introduction of a color coding system for bus routes (1983).
- Major changes made to downtown service, coinciding with the opening of 2 large malls (1983).
- 15 buses converted into propane powered buses, a study introduced by the Federal Government (1984).
- Voted for best Large transit system in North America by APTA (1987).
- Annual student pass is introduced. (1998).
- First articulated New-Flyer buses are purchased (2001).
- Bio-Diesel is introduced (2007).
- Testing of Hybrid diesel-electric Orion VII buses (2008).
- Trial of Double-decker buses (2009).
Transitway
The transitway is a bus-only dedicated lane. Conception of the plans for this transitway were started in 1978. The first portion of the transitway opened between Lees and Hurdan, and Lincoln Fields and Baseline in 1983, along with the opening of the Billings Bridge Terminal. Downtown service was changed because the bus-only lane near the Rideau Mall was opened up to traffic.In 1984, 3 new stations were intergrated into the transitway; LeBreton, Tunney's Pasture and Westboro, with the opening of the new portion of the transitway between LeBreton and the Ottawa River Parkway (renamed Dominion Station). The transitway between Hurdman and St. Laurent stations, including the tunnel below the St-Laurent Shopping center was introduced in 1987 and the frequency of Route 95 Orléans & Trim was incresed to 4 minutes at rush hours and 5 minutes off rush hour. Between St. Laurent and Blair, was completed in 1989. The whole transitway, approved in the plan of 1978 was completed in 1996.
Stats
- Average daily ridership: 49543
- Average weekly ridership: 346 800
- Average monthy ridership (based on 30 days) 1 486 290
- Approcxmetly 2700 people working at OC Transpo.
- 6360 bus stops located across Ottawa.
- 248 bus routes (including school, employee ect.)
- Approxmetly 1050 buses in Active Fleet.
