Spring 2017-service-change-external-memo -final-feb-27-en
- 1. M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E To / Destinataire Mayor and Members of Council Chair and Members of the Transit Commission File/N° de fichier: T12-01 SER From / Expéditeur General Manager Transportation Services Department Subject / Objet Spring 2017 Transit Service Changes Date: February 27, 2017 This memorandum provides an overview of the Spring 2017 transit service changes that will start on Sunday, April 23. These changes are part of OC Transpo’s regular schedule adjustments, which take place four times a year – April, June, September and December. Transit Commission and City Council members are provided with a summary of the service changes in advance of each new schedule period. The spring service changes include three types of modifications: Route number changes as part of the transition to the 2018 Network; Service improvements and adjustments; and, Seasonal service changes. Route Number Changes as part of the Transition to the 2018 Network As indicated in the 2016 reports presented at a technical briefing on June 7, at Transit Commission on June 15, and at Council on June 22, changes to the OC Transpo system will be made in several phases to be ready for the opening of the O-Train Confederation Line in 2018 and to ease the changes that will be experienced by customers. This spring, OC Transpo will continue to implement some of the adjustments that are required as part of the transition to the 2018 network. Route renumbering – New route numbers that are consistent with the Bus Service Identification report received by the Transit Commission in June 2016 will continue to be introduced in phases. The attached table lists the route number changes that will be made this spring as part of the continuing roll-out of the new route numbering plan. Information will be provided to customers at bus stops, on timetables and on buses to
- 2. assist them with the route number changes for individual routes. The OC Transpo website will also provide all information to assist customers during this transition. Customers will be encouraged to visit www.octranspo.com to check out the information. Service Improvements and Adjustments As part of OC Transpo’s ongoing regular work and following consultation with affected Ward Councillors, improvements and adjustments to service continue to be made to meet the changing travel needs of customers. Since the start of the December service change, improvements to service were made in response to customer concerns in Kanata North and Barrhaven. The following improvements and adjustments will be made this spring: The schedules of Routes 63 and 64 in Kanata North will be adjusted and capacity will be increased at certain times to respond to feedback received from customers and operators and to improve connections; The time of a trip on Route 62 (current Route 92) and on Route 262 will be adjusted to improve convenience and better match the travel needs of customers in Stittsville. The capacity on Route 261 will be increased with the use of a higher capacity double-decker bus in the afternoon. Based on feedback from customers and recent ridership data, capacity will be increased on Barrhaven Connexion routes in the afternoon. Specifically, many afternoon trips on Routes 271, 273 and 277 will be changed to use higher capacity articulated and double-decker buses. To immediately address overcrowding, an afternoon trip on Route 273 was changed to use a higher capacity articulated bus in early February, and arrangements are being made to add a new afternoon trip departing from LeBreton Station on Route 277. Capacity will be increased on Route 91 eastbound from downtown in the afternoon by reallocating one trip from Route 95; this is based on feedback from customers and operators and on measurements of ridership; Route 105 will have a later trip extended to boulevard Sacré-Coeur and rue Laurier in Gatineau in the morning to improve travel options for customers; The schedules of Routes 106 and 168 will be adjusted to improve reliability, based on actual measured operating times; On Route 86, all afternoon 86C trips will start or end at Mackenzie King Station to improve service reliability; The trial 155A service on Queensview Drive will be removed because of low ridership; and,
- 3. The number of trips on Routes 154, 155, 613 and 669, will be adjusted due to low ridership. Seasonal Service Changes Changes to post-secondary school service – Every year, ridership declines on routes serving post-secondary institutions as the school year ends and the summer semester begins in late April. The frequency of service will be reduced on Routes 4, 104, and 111 and the O-Train Trillium Line serving Carleton University, on Route 85 serving uOttawa, and on Route 129 serving the main campus of La Cité. Sufficient capacity will continue to be available for expected ridership levels, and there will be no change to the times of the first or last trips. Full time students at participating institutions will be eligible for the summer U-Pass. Rack and Roll Program – The Rack and Roll program of bicycle racks on buses will be re- instated this spring, running through to the fall. The Rack and Roll network consists of Routes 12, 61 (current 96), 62 (current 92), 85, 88 (current 118), 91, 94, 95, 97, 99, 101, and 106, to provide this service on frequent routes across the City. The majority of trips on these routes will operate with a bus equipped with a bike rack. Cyclists may also bring their bicycles aboard trains on the O-Train Trillium Line. With the purchase of new buses later this year, cyclists will have more options for bringing their bicycle with them as every new bus purchased comes with a bike rack. Construction Detours – Routes 4, 9 and 12 will be detoured around road work on Queen Street as part of the Queen Street Renewal project, anticipated to continue until late fall. Holidays – During the spring, holiday service will be provided as follows: Victoria Day – On Monday, May 22, a Sunday service will operate. Full details of these service changes will be communicated to customers through March and April with use of printed and electronic materials, as well as direct customer outreach. The onboard next-stop announcement system is planned to be used to alert customers on specific routes leading up to the service change. Please direct customers to octranspo.com or to the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (613-741-4390) for more information.
- 4. OC Transpo has a number of customer-friendly applications and tools that can be used on a mobile device, so that customers can access timely information about our service while on-the-go. These include texting 560-560 for real-time bus schedule information, downloading the MyTransit iPhone app or another third-party app, signing up for text alerts on octranspo.com to receive the latest information, as well as visiting octranspo.mobi to view our website on a smartphone. Information is also available by calling 613-560-1000 plus the bus stop number. Once the new service begins, customers can find up-to-date schedules and real time information by using these applications and tools. These service changes will be evaluated based on feedback we collect from customers and operating staff, as well as ridership and operational data measurements. Our goal is to continue to provide excellent service for customers as their travel needs change. Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, at ext. 52205, or myself at ext. 52111. Original signed by John Manconi cc: Senior Leadership Team Transportation Services Departmental Leadership Team
- 5. Table 1: Route number changes as part of the Spring 2017 service change Current Route Number New Route Number 2 11 6 56 92 62 96 61 118 88 150 50 151 81 156 83 157 187 172 82 176 80 178 84 180 158 182 66