Service changes
Winter service starts Sunday, December 25, 2022
Highlights
- Holiday service (December 26, 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.
Holiday service
| 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 |
My Alerts is the best and most reliable way to be in the know. Get notified instantly when the Severe Snow Schedule is in effect or when a detour may impact your normal trip. A text message would be sent directly to your cellphone or an email would be sent right to your inbox. Sign up for My Alerts today!We're introducing a Severe Storm Schedule this winter
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.
Shopper Routes will not operate.
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.
Coming soon: You will soon be able to view how a Severe Storm Schedule will affect your trips. Keep checking octranspo.com for updates.
Schedule adjustments
Improvements
| 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
|
| 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:
|
| 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
| Service information | Route |
|---|---|
|
John McCrae Secondary School
|
Limited Local Route 671 |
|
St. Francis Xavier High School
|
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.
Customer Service
For details regarding the changes being implemented as part of winter service, customers can:
- call the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre at (613) 560-5000 for information on scheduling and other OC Transpo services,
- text 560560 for real-time bus schedule information,
- sign up for SMS alerts or visit the Alerts page for ongoing detours, or;
- download the OC Transpo iPhone app or an independent app.