A recent attempt to use Ottawa's public transit system after a five-year hiatus has left one resident questioning when, or if, service will ever improve. The experience, which began smoothly on the LRT, quickly devolved into a familiar saga of unexplained bus cancellations and vanishing vehicles.
A Promising Start Derailed at Tunney's Pasture
After half a decade of not using Ottawa transit due to retirement, Laurie Fagan decided to take a Saturday trip from the Rideau Centre to Tunney's Pasture. The LRT portion of the journey was swift and smooth, earning full compliments from the rider. However, the connecting bus service told a different story.
Upon arriving at the stop with five minutes to spare before her scheduled #81 bus, Fagan was informed by an elderly man that the previous bus, due 30 minutes earlier, had been cancelled. An electronic scrolling board in the shelter initially showed the #81 was due in one minute. Yet, after four minutes, then seven, no bus appeared. The details for the #81 then disappeared completely from the display, offering no explanation or cancellation notice.
The "Ugly Beast" of Unreliable Service Returns
The man at the stop, who had been waiting for nearly 50 minutes, was furious. Approximately ten other people were also left waiting for the #81 with no information. Fagan, unable to determine when or if the bus would arrive, ultimately phoned for a ride home from Tunney's Pasture station.
This incident, Fagan notes, represents the "old OC Transpo" they remembered all too well. While just one example, they cite having read and heard numerous similar stories in recent years. The problems range from frequent LRT shutdowns to consistently inferior bus service.
A Call for Improvement in the Nation's Capital
Fagan's letter poses a pointed question to the transit service and the city: "This is the nation’s capital and this is what we offer commuters?" The writer expresses a profound disappointment, shared by the man headed home and all those waiting in early morning cold or late night rain, that they had expected better.
The experience was so discouraging that Fagan concludes they may not check back on the state of Ottawa's transit for another five years. The incident underscores ongoing challenges with real-time information and reliability that continue to frustrate Ottawa residents relying on public transportation.
