Starting April 25, 2019, ID cards are only available at the Rideau Centre Customer Service Centre.

• Child card (ages 6-12)
• Priority Seating card
• Senior card (65+)
• Service Animal card
• a-card (CNIB / Support Person / AGO Guide Dog)

The Customer Service Centres at Lincoln Fields, St-Laurent and Place d’Orléans Stations will no longer distribute ID cards.

Remember:

• OC Transpo ID cards are free, but regular fare still applies to ride
• Priority Seating cards and customers who travel with a Support Person require a note from a health care professional

Our mandate is to provide safe and courteous transit for both our riders and Bus Operators. As part of our commitment to safety, we are participating in a 1 year pilot project to install Operator Barriers on 12 of our buses. Several Transit agencies across North America are installing Operator Barriers to reduce potential risks to the driver without compromising on comfort and quality service for the rider.

Installation of barriers will begin April 23rd, so our riders may begin to see buses with the below pictured Operator barriers. They will consist of a metal and plastic frame with clear glass slider window.

Operator barriers will:

• Restrict intentional or unintentional access by customers to the operator's area
• Provide enhanced protection and improved safety
• Allow for the continued delivery of high quality customer service that our customers are used to receiving

The goal of the product testing is to gather information about:

• Effectiveness of the barrier system as a safety tool
• Any visual hazards presented by the barrier such as glare or light reflection, its impact on airflow and operator ergonomics
• Feedback from bus operators and maintenance staff
• Passenger feedback and any impact on customer service

If you would like to provide feedback please fill out the comments box below. All submissions will be anonymous.

Comments:

As part of our 2018 budget, we will be adding a total of 82 Nova Low Floor Series (LFS) buses to our fleet starting April 3, 2019. In order to improve our services, we continue to invest in and modernize our buses. This is the first step in replacing a total of 320 buses over the next four years as part of our regular lifecycle replacement program.

The Nova LFS is built by Nova Bus, a manufacturing company based out of Saint-Eustache, Quebec. Although this vehicle is new to OC Transpo, you may have seen it as part of Gatineau’s STO fleet. It has been a proven model in many other Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver.

The new buses offer better fuel economy and accessibility features. Your trip on a Nova bus will include easy to fold down/flip up seating in the area for mobility devices and LED signs that display the next stop for rear facing customers.

In addition, all Nova’s are equipped with:

• Bike racks
• Automatic passenger counters
• 5 on-board cameras for increased safety and security
• Fire suppression systems
• Tire pressure monitoring systems
• Larger curbside destination signs for better readability

Nova buses are designed to provide a safe and comfortable ride to your destination. Keep an eye out for new Nova buses serving bus stops near you!

Rack & Roll is returning once again this spring and runs until the fall on Routes 12, 61, 62, 85, 88, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, and 106. However, you can Rack & Roll on any bus with a rack, and we have more than 600 equipped buses. Most racks will be installed by mid-May. Use the our Travel Planner to see which trips have bike racks. Cyclists can also bring their bikes on O-Train Line 2, the Trillium Line, all year round.

• Bikes on transit

Let’s bike to transit!

The City of Ottawa is making it easier for customers to ride their bicycles to stations. Visit ottawa.ca/cycling and check out one of the handy neighbourhood maps that highlight comfortable cycling connections to Greenboro, Innovation and Trim Stations.

Apply now for your Summer U-Pass or EquiPass

During the summer months, May through August, many post-secondary school students will be eligible for the Summer U-Pass or reduced fares using EquiPass. Eligibility for these passes is based on the student’s enrollment status and income level.

Are you enrolled in summer classes?

If you are a post-secondary student who is enrolled in classes between May and August at a U-Pass establishment, you are eligible for the Summer U-Pass. U-Pass establishments include Algonquin College, Carleton University, University of Ottawa, and Saint Paul University.

• Read more about U-Pass

Are you on summer break?

If you are a post-secondary student who is not taking summer classes but is enrolled in the Fall 2019 term, you may be eligible for an EquiPass. To be eligible for an EquiPass, you must be below the low-income threshold as set by the Government of Canada.

An EquiPass provides:

• A free PRESTO card
• Reduced per ride fares ($1.75 per ride)
• Reduced monthly passes for ($58.25 per month)
• Accepted payment method with ParaPay

How to apply for an EquiPass

Applications for EquiPass are now open – apply soon to beat the rush!

To apply, complete our application form and submit it in-person to an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre, City of Ottawa Client Service Centre, or Community and Social Support Centre.

• Read more about EquiPass
• EquiPass FAQ

Starting April 21, some routes will have new schedules to reflect lower seasonal ridership and respond to changing customer needs.

Spring service change starts Apr. 21: Read More

Starting 9am Monday, April 1, 2019, Elgin will be fully closed to traffic from Laurier to Catherine. Elgin should reopen later in 2019. The closure is part of the Elgin Street Renewal project. During this time, Routes 5 and 14 will be detoured. Routes 101 and 103 will not be affected.

Elgin will be fully closed to traffic on April 1: Read More

Buses will follow a Sunday schedule on Good Friday, April 19. The new spring service goes into effect on Easter Sunday. On Easter Monday, April 22, service will be reduced on many routes. School trips will not run. Shopper Route 301 will be in service.

Use the Travel Planner to know your trip options

Sample days have been added to the Travel Planner using routes and schedules that are planned to operate with O‑Train Line 1.

Check out Ready for Rail trip plans and schedules

View the future bus and rail service map to see transit routes operating after O-Train Line 1 is open.

Future service map: Read More

You can use Single-ride tickets and DayPasses, including those for 3, 5 and 7 days, to ride on OC Transpo, Para Transpo and STO as soon as you buy them up until they expire. You’ll find the expiry date and time in bold text on the front of each ticket. You can’t buy these fares in advance. Use Presto to pre-pay your fares. Presto funds and passes are stored on your card until you tap onto a reader.

Heartwood House will hold an unclaimed items sale on Saturday, May 4, from noon to 2 pm. Great Bargains! Umbrellas, jewelry, cellphones, hats, musical instruments and more!

Lost & Found Unclaimed Items Sale on Saturday, May 4: Read More