Our rail network is growing and so too is the excitement for the opening of Lines 2 and 4.
It was a busy day for us at Transit Commission on June 29. We provided updates on Stage 2 marketing, our five-year roadmap, recruitment, and much more!
You can watch the presentation here or check out the highlights below.
The title says it all. Yes, we had a snake on a train last Friday.
We first reported the event as “an issue with a live animal”. An hour later, we were happy to announce that a pet snake had been found.
Unfortunately for our curious customers, we had to constrict the story to two tweets.
Now, we can’t let this opportunity to tell you how to travel with pets slip away.
Here is the story of how a python got lost on the O-Train and reunited with its owner.
Have you ever heard of sun kinks?
No, they aren’t a garage band from Westboro. Sun kinks are an issue that all railways can encounter during periods of extreme heat.
Summers in Ottawa can get hot and when the temperatures climb above 30 degrees Celsius, procedures are in place to safely run trains on above ground sections of track.
Here is what you need to know about sun kinks and how we safely operate the O-Train during extremely hot temperatures.
Read More about OC Explained: O-Train Operations During Extreme Heat
If you’ve ever checked your e-mail or browsed the web while waiting at one of our stations, you probably already know how useful our free TELUS Wi-Fi network can be.
Currently installed in seven stations and counting, our free Wi-Fi network allows customers to save their data while waiting for their next bus or train.
Have you ever thought about what it takes to install a Wi-Fi network in an active train station? We try to make it look easy, but there’s a lot happening behind the scenes. Find out how we’re expanding free Wi-Fi to all stations on O-Train Line 1.
Read More about Project Spotlight: Expanding free Wi-Fi across Line 1 stations
On May 26, the Light Rail Sub-Committee received an update on the Stage 2 O-Train South Extension project and received a detailed report on the preparations for the public opening of the system.
You can watch our update here .
In late May, OC Transpo had the privilege of hosting a very special guest at our O-Train simulator.
As a child, Juanita Snelgrove grew up next to train tracks. After seeing trains pass by her home every day, she always dreamt of driving one.
She never gave up on that dream and at the age of 107, it finally came true.
Spring is in the air and construction is moving ahead full speed on all three Stage 2 O-Train Extensions.
The O-Train South extension is getting closer to completion each day. We recently celebrated the Stadler FLIRT’s first journey to Riverside South in late April. As trackwork continues to progress, we’re excited to see the FLIRT travel further north.
Before this can happen, let’s check in on how rail installation is progressing on the O-Train South Extension.
Read More about Rail Installation on the O-Train South Extension
What happens when there is a medical emergency on a train?
Why are trains sometimes temporarily held?
How do trains know when they have to switch tracks?
Every train movement on O-Train Line 1 is carefully automated; however, sometimes there are incidents or emergencies that need troubleshooting.
Electric Rail Controllers (ERC) play an important role in helping you safely arrive at your destination.
ERCs are constantly monitoring the rail service and are ready to respond if something happens to help minimize impacts to your commute.
Let’s get to know OC Transpo’s ERCs.
Read More about A Day In The Life - Electric Rail Controller
At OC Transpo, we’re proud of our 3,000 transit workers that keep Ottawa moving 24/7, 365 days a year. Our dedicated team delivers over 98.5 million trips per year combined on Para Transpo and OC Transpo. Whether you are travelling to work, school, shopping, an appointment or visiting family and friends, transit staff are working hard to get you there.
Read More about Celebrate transit operators and workers on March 18
Transit Commission heard that O-Train Line 1 and conventional bus ridership is at 62% of pre-pandemic levels and Para Transpo ridership is at 76% of pre-pandemic levels. This is a steady rise from last year and is on-par with ridership forecasts for 2023.
We are continuing to bring Wi-Fi connectivity to more O-Train Line 1 stations. In January, Pimisi Station became our fourth station to have Wi-Fi.
This spring, we’ll be continuing to educate customers about how to use the transit system and plan their commutes.
At OC Transpo, we are committed to providing transit services that are accessible to everyone.
Para Transpo is a shared-ride, book-in-advance, public transit service. The service is open to customers who are unable to take buses or the O-Train some or all of the time due to a disability.
There are more than 130 operators on the Para Transpo team who provide door-to-door service.
We caught up with Sam who is one of our operators to find out what it’s like to spend a day behind the wheel at Para Transpo.
What’s a typical day for a Para Transpo operator?
Is it embarrassing to get excited about a transit pass?
No, we didn’t think so either.
A customer recently turned in a very special transit pass from the year 2000.
Not only was it from the first month of the year, but it was the very first pass issued of the millennium!
That’s right – transit pass 0001.
Our jaws dropped when seeing the excellent condition of this historic pass. We immediately added it to our archives.
This made us wonder, what other vintage transit passes do we have kicking around?