A bus operator notices an elderly person disoriented on the side of the road and stops to ask if they need directions. A customer travelling on a quiet route asks to be let off between stops so that they don’t need to walk as far in the dark. A customer travelling alone late at night waits with others on a bench in a well-lit area close to the bus loop.
What do all these scenarios have in common? They’re all examples of the Transecure program in action.
Transecure is the name of our community watch program on wheels, but it’s so much more than that. Transecure is our commitment to engaging with the community and providing safe service to customers.
This time on The Next Stop Blog, let’s take a closer look at the Transecure program and how it works to improve community safety, every day.
Community watch on wheels
Bus Operators, Para Transpo Operators, Supervisors, and Special Constables are on the road all over the city throughout the day and night. While they’re on the job, they’re constantly aware of what’s happening around them. They’re also in contact with our Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC). This gives them the perfect opportunity to keep an eye out for anything unsafe or out of the ordinary during their shifts.
Because of their wide coverage of the city, OC Transpo buses and vehicles are also often the first on the scene to offer shelter or a safe haven for someone in need.
We call this our community watch program on wheels, a way to look out for our customers and our community while we’re on the road.
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How did it start?
In 1987, discussions began on how to set up something similar to a Block Parent program for OC Transpo. These conversations gave rise to the community watch program that became known as Transecure.
By 1989 the program was running and was helping to reunite children separated from parents, pick up disoriented individuals, be a first point of contact for medical emergencies, and offer shelter during emergency events. This year also marked the debut of OC Owl who was officially introduced to commuters as a public safety ambassador.
While this program is invisible to most riders on most days, its impact reaches across the city. From 1989 to 2024, the Transecure community watch program has responded to approximately 12,250 incidents. Responses vary depending on the situation but could look like anything from giving someone a ride, offering shelter in a vehicle, or simply making a phone call.
Every year, OC Transpo employees who have taken outstanding actions in response to situations are recognized at our Annual Transecure Awards Ceremony. This gives us a chance to recognize the staff who’ve demonstrated care, kindness and quick thinking to community members in need. If you’d like to read examples of real calls that operators have responded to, check out our archive of Transecure calls.
Night Stop, Safe Stop and Transecure waiting areas
As part of our commitment to looking out for customers, various other services were added to the Transecure program over the years. These services formalize our approach to supporting customer safety, particularly at night.
- Safe Stop: After 7 pm, you can ask your bus operator to let you off anywhere between stops along your route. For example, if you’re travelling in a quieter area and feel unsafe walking from the stop to your destination in the dark, this option allows you to get off closer to where you need to go. Just ask the operator before you need to get off.
- Night Stop: After 9 pm, all our buses use a single stop at stations that’s marked with a yellow sign that says “Transecure”. The reason for this single stop is that some stations have stops that stretch far down the platform. By using one dedicated Night Stop, all customers at a station can wait in the same centrally-located area so no one needs to wait alone at night.
- Transecure waiting areas: Designated areas on each O-Train platform that include accessible seating, heating that can be activated in cold weather, CCTV and emergency phones nearby.
Safety at work 24/7
Everyone at OC Transpo has a role to play in making sure our transit system is a safe place.
While the work we do might not be visible all the time, every element of it plays a role in improving the safety and security of our transit system.
Don’t forget, wherever you are on the transit system, you can always ask an Operator or any OC Transpo staff person for help.
