Skip to content

Service changes

Winter 2020 service change banner

Winter service starts Sunday, December 25, 2022

Highlights

  • Holiday service (December 25, 2022 to January 6, 2023) will operate on a reduced schedule to reflect lower ridership during the holidays.
  • NEW this winter: A Severe Storm Schedule will be piloted for buses when 31 cm or more of snow is expected.
  • Route 62 will be modified to bring service closer to businesses on weekends.
  • Select trips on School Route 671 servicing John McCrae Secondary School will be extended to Apolune Street.
  • The Rack & Roll winter pilot is happening again this winter! This time, all OC Transpo buses will be equipped with a bike rack.

Schedule and service changes

These adjustments reflect seasonal changes in ridership and the changing needs of our customers.

Use the Travel Planner or view the route schedules to check if your regular trips are affected.

Get your travel plan

Holiday service

Service information for the holidays:
Holiday Date Service information
Christmas Day Sunday, December 25, 2022 Sunday schedule
Boxing Day Monday, December 26, 2022 Saturday schedule
Christmas Day holiday observed Tuesday, December 27, 2022 Saturday schedule
Christmas week Wednesday, December 28 to Friday, December 30, 2022 Reduced weekday schedule
New Year's Eve Saturday, December 31, 2022 Saturday schedule
New Year's Day Sunday, January 1, 2023 Sunday schedule
New Year's Day holiday observed Monday, January 2, 2023 Saturday schedule
New Year's week Tuesday, January 3 to Friday, January 6, 2023 Reduced weekday schedule

We're introducing a Severe Storm Schedule this winter

Severe Storm Schedule logo

Providing safe and reliable transit service for customers is our top priority. We are taking steps this winter to better manage bus service during severe winter storms.

This winter, we are piloting a special Severe Storm Schedule for buses on weekdays. It will be in effect when 31 cm or more of snow is expected. Other severe weather conditions that could impact bus operation may also bring this special schedule in effect. This could include a mixture of wet, heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain.

On weekdays, bus service will be based on a Saturday schedule, with limited early morning service and weekday-only routes. Trips will be added to routes servicing hospitals.

O-Train Line 1 and Para Transpo service will not be reduced. However, customers should still expect delays.

Adjustments to bus types that are in operation will be made. This includes replacing many articulated buses with 40-foot or double-decker buses, as they tend to operate better in heavy snow.

Customers will be notified through all of OC Transpo's regular communications channels the day before a Severe Storm Schedule occurs.

To get an idea of how your travel could be affected, visit the Travel Planner.

Plan your trip during a Severe Storm Schedule

Read more

Schedule adjustments

Improvements

Some trips on the following routes will be adjusted to improve service for customers:
Route Service information
Local Route 18

Weekdays

A NEW trip will depart St-Laurent Station at 11:00 pm to increase frequency at end of night from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

Local Route 62

Weekends

Routing will be modified to continue east from Abbott / Granite Ridge, along Abbott to Robert Grant, turn around at the roundabout, and continue along Abbott to regular routing. This will allow buses to serve a stop at Abbott / Iber and result in a shorter walking distance to businesses along Iber for customers.

Rapid Route 63

Weekdays

  • The first westbound trip will depart Tunney's Pasture 15 minutes earlier, at 5:05 am, to better accommodate shift times in the Kanata North Business Park.
  • The eastbound trip from Innovation Station will depart at 4 minutes later, at 5:47 am.
Limited Local Route 74 Limited Local Route 75 Limited Local Route 271 Limited Local Route 277 Limited Local Route 278

Weekdays

The times of some trips will be adjusted slightly to reduce waiting times for customers, at:

  • Fallowfield Station, northbound in the morning peak period.
  • Tunney's Pasture Station, southbound in the afternoon peak period.
Limited Local Route 261Limited Local Route 263

Weekdays

The times of some trips will be adjusted slightly to reduce waiting times for customers.

School service

Improvements and adjustments will be made to school service to better accommodate school-related travel requirements.

From Monday, December 26, 2022 until Friday, December 30, 2022 and from Monday, January 2, 2023 until Friday, January 6, 2023: all 600-series routes will be removed.

Select special school trips on the following routes will be adjusted to follow a reduced weekday schedule:

  • Rapid Route 96
  • Rapid Route 99
  • Frequent Route 171
  • 173
  • 175
The following routes will be adjusted to provide better service for customers:
Service information Route

John McCrae Secondary School

  • Two morning trips at 8:16 am and 8:18 am from Apolune / Perseus, as well as all afternoon trips, will be extended to Apolune, to bring service closer to the growing community.
Limited Local Route 671

St. Francis Xavier High School

  • Service will be adjusted to better align with bell times.
Limited Local Route 693

Rack & Roll program

Good news for all-season cyclists — the Rack & Roll winter pilot is happening again this winter! All OC Transpo buses will be equipped with a bike rack so riders can continue to Rack & Roll.

Continuing the pilot this winter will help us to determine if an all-season program will be permanent. Bicycle racks do not accommodate fat tire bikes, only tire widths of up to 2.3 inches. Bicycle racks can hold bikes weighing up to 55lbs.

Rack & Roll winter pilot returns!

Rack & Roll logo


Customer Service

For details regarding the changes being implemented as part of winter service, customers can: