New express routes, tweaked bus schedules and more O-Train trips this fall

Pedestrians walk past an OC Transpo stop in downtown Ottawa. Photo by Tony Caldwell /POSTMEDIA

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OC Transpo will roll out its new express bus routes, tweaked trip schedules on 22 bus routes and increased O-Train frequency as part of its fall service schedule, according to a new memo from general manager Rick Leary.

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The O-Train will increase frequency of weekday trips on Line 1, with peak service intervals increasing from every five minutes to every four minutes.

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Mid-day service will increase from every ten minutes to every six minutes and early evening service will increase from every ten minutes to every seven minutes.

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Two-car trains will continue to operate from Monday to Friday.

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The north-south Line 2 will also run earlier from the south end on weekdays, with the first trip departing from Limebank Station at 6 a.m. (previously 6:13 a.m.) and the first northbound trip from Carleton Station departing at 6:05 a.m. (previously 6:15 a.m.)

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OC Transpo will also run seven new express bus routes with direct peak-period service on weekdays to connect park-and-ride lots in Kanata and Orleans, O-Train Line 1 stations and key employment areas, according to the memo, which was sent to city council on Aug. 14.

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Express route fares are the same as regular bus fares and the routes are distinguished by orange “Express route” icons and numbers in the 500s. New express routes include Route 526, 539, 561, 562, 563, 565 and 566.

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Leary said riders will see “more accurate and reliable schedules” with OC Transpo also increasing the number of trips on 22 of its most-travelled bus routes.

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The new schedule changes, along with tweaks made to eight routes following a service review earlier this year, are designed to improve service on 30 routes that serve 50 per cent of OC Transpo customers.

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There will be new connections to Gatineau with several new routes continuing from Tunney’s Pasture Station to Gatineau with direct connections from Kanata and Barrhaven.

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OC Transpo is also making quarterly adjustments to bus routing, Leary said, “to meet higher seasonal ridership, to support school service, special events and holidays, and to keep service moving through construction projects.”

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School trips and school service routes will resume on the 600-series buses. OC Transpo previously announced changes to some school service based on ridership levels, while student transportation at certain schools has been transferred from OC Transpo to yellow school buses “as agreed with the four school boards and the two student transportation authorities,” Leary said.