At a glance
Key takeaways
- Transit Committee learned more about the new OC Transpo Customer-First Action Plan
- 2026 safety awards recipients were highlighted
- Updates were provided on restoring Line 1 capacity
- Details were shared about our Special Constable Unit's new Community Visibility Team
Missed May 14th's Transit Committee meeting? The Next Stop Blog has all the updates to keep you caught up.
Recognizing 2026's safety award recipients
The meeting began with the recognition of this year's safety award recipients by Chair Glen Gower and GM Rick Leary. The Transecure, Safe Driving, and Safety Awards were held on April 28th at the Nepean Sportsplex, and May 14th's Transit Committee meeting provided an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the inspiring conduct of these transit employees, and their embodiment of OC Transpo's commitment to safety.
Introducing the OC Transpo Customer-First Action Plan
This month's meeting featured a detailed introduction of the new OC Transpo Customer-First Action Plan, focused on improving the customer experience at every step of the transit journey. This plan will make service more reliable, put our customers first, strengthen financial stability and build a sustainable workforce. The ten key action items are designed to rebuild a safe, reliable and customer-focused transit system through measurable operational improvements, engaging with employees, stronger accountability, and improving customer safety and security.
The full plan includes the following:
- Restoring O-Train Line 1 capacity
- Improving preventative bus maintenance and putting new vehicles into service
- Making Para Transpo more flexible for customers
- Improving system-wide safety, cleanliness and employee presence across the system
- Hosting customer townhalls
- Introducing new reporting and performance metrics
- Completing the LRT upload to the Province and reinvesting $85 million into transit
- Growing non-fare revenues through enhanced digital advertising
- Developing a 10-year capital investment plan
- Establishing an integrated workforce strategy
- Engaging transit employees to become the top transit employer in Canada
Learn more about the plan here.
Line 1 service updates
Concerning Line 1, a mix of single and double-car train service began on May 14. Customers may notice some double-car trains running during peak service hours from Monday-Friday and can expect service to continue running every 3-4 minutes. Work continues with Rideau Transit Group and Alstom on containment measures for the Cartridge Bearing Assemblies. Full Line 1 service capacity is expected to resume in mid-June, in advance of Ottawa's exciting summer festival and tourism season. Timing for East Extension trial running activities will continue to be evaluated based on increasing vehicle availability.
A new bus maintenance model
Updates about our bus fleet and maintenance activities were also provided. OC Transpo is moving towards a preventative maintenance program model. The focus this summer will be on targeted vehicle refurbishments, decommissioning old buses, the onboarding of more zero-emission buses as well as the onboarding of new 60-foot diesel buses. This work will help prepare the fleet for peak customer demand in September and the winter season.
Launching the Community Visibility Team
The Committee also learned more about the launch of the new Community Visibility Team. This is a Special Constable Unit initiative focused on increasing visible patrols across the transit system. During weekday daytime hours, Special Constables in high-visibility vests will patrol on foot and by bike to enhance customer presence and visibility. While their primary focus is proactive engagement and visibility, they will also address issues and conduct enforcement when needed, in areas where they are already present.
The latest ridership figures
The latest ridership figures were also shared, reporting that O-Train and bus ridership was 5.9 million in March 2026, while the total ridership for the past 12 months is 69 million, marking an increase of 0.4 per cent compared with the previous 12-month period. Para Transpo ridership for April was 81,500, with a total ridership over the past 12 months of 909,800. This represents an increase of 5.2 per cent compared to the previous 12-month period.
