Ottawa – OC Transpo’s spring service starts Sunday, April 22. Minor route changes will be made to help us get ready for rail and the opening of O-Train Line 1, the Confederation Line, later this year. Other spring service changes include adjusted schedules and seasonal reductions to reflect the lower demand for service as the winter term ends at colleges and universities. The Rack & Roll program also returns with bike racks on more than 600 buses.
Customers should visit octranspo.com and use the travel planner to see if their regular trips are affected.
Service changes:
- Route 99 – Peak period trips to and from Manotick will be renumbered as Connexion Route 299
- Route 96 – Peak period trips between Lincoln Fields Station and Merivale / Slack will be renumbered as Local Route 186
- Route 23 – Minor routing change near Blair Station to improve service for the CSIS and CSE offices on Ogilvie Road
- Route 11 – More frequent service on weekdays in the early morning and adjusted service on weekends to better match ridership patterns
- School trips – Adjustments to the number of trips serving Gloucester H.S., Sir Robert Borden H.S., Brookfield H.S., Hillcrest H.S. and É.s. catholique Franco-Cité, based on observed ridership levels. Check octranspo.com for full details.
Seasonal service adjustments
- Spring seasonal reductions will be made to reflect lower ridership levels on Routes 4, 85, 104, 111, and 129 that serve post-secondary schools. As in previous years, service levels on O-Train Line 2, the Trillium Line, will be reduced after 9 p.m. on Mondays to Saturdays, and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays, to match reduced seasonal ridership.
- The Rack & Roll program returns with bike racks available on major routes across the City, including Routes 12, 61, 62, 85, 88, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, and 106. By April 30, over 600 buses will be equipped with a bike rack. Bicycle parking is also available at most transit stations and customers can bring their bicycles on O-Train Line 2, the Trillium Line, year-round.
- Construction Detours – Routes 283 and 301 will be detoured around roadwork on the Richmond Bridge in the village of Richmond. Customers traveling on those routes should allow themselves extra travel time. Routes 4, 9, and 12 will continue to be detoured around roadwork on Queen Street.
Summer U-Pass starts May 1 and Winter U-Pass expires
From May through August, eligible full-time students at Algonquin College, Carleton University, University of Ottawa and Saint Paul University benefit from the Summer U-Pass, which can be obtained or renewed on campus. Students who are not full-time during the summer are reminded that their U-Pass will expire on April 30 and to switch to Presto for their summer transit. Some students with lower incomes who are not receiving a U-Pass may be eligible for the EquiPass. EquiPass applications should be submitted early to allow for timely approval.
Reminder: Paper ticket use ends April 30
Old tickets can be used on buses (except at Greenboro Station) until April 30, 2018. Use Presto e-purse or cash instead. It will cost the same or less. On Para Transpo, use ParaPay or cash. At all O-Train stations except for Bayview, use the new ticket machines to buy single-ride tickets for immediate use. Customers can also exchange old tickets towards new fare products at OC Transpo Customer Service Centres until August 31, 2018.
Customers can get a Presto card by visiting an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre or City of Ottawa Client Service Centre, online at prestocard.ca or by calling 1-877-378-6123. Customers can also get a Presto card at the ticket machines at Greenboro, Mooney’s Bay, Carleton or Carling stations. Para Transpo customers can purchase monthly passes on the new ParaPay system. Visit octranspo.com or call 613-741-4390 or 613-741-5280 (TTY) for more information.
Real-time schedule information is available 24 hours a day by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560 plus the four‑digit bus stop number. For more details, travel planning assistance, and new timetables, customers should call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com. Printed timetables are also available at OC Transpo Customer Service Centres.