Having lived in Centertown and Old Ottawa South for the better part of a decade, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time on a bus stuck in traffic on Bank Street. I’ve been late to meet friends downtown, and I’ve missed more transfers at Billings Bridge than I can count. I’ve given up … Continue reading Bank Street is a transit corridor. Let’s treat it like one.
Community Statement: Fixing Public Transit in Rideau-Vanier
Over a dozen OC Transpo routes run through Rideau-Vanier. They are consistently slow, infrequent, and unreliable. Rideau-Vanier is uniquely impacted by three citywide issues: the high cost of living, the climate crisis, and health and safety. All three can be addressed by replacing car dependency with a good quality public transit system. When transit means … Continue reading Community Statement: Fixing Public Transit in Rideau-Vanier
CUSA Joint Statement on OC Transpo Service Changes
CUSA represents the interests of students at Carleton University, students whose lives extend far beyond campus. They live, work, shop, and see friends or family in all parts of the city, relying on public transit to do so. We acknowledge the ongoing challenges the pandemic and remote work have posed for OC Transpo. But this … Continue reading CUSA Joint Statement on OC Transpo Service Changes
Free The Bus! Get Transit Moving with Bus Only Lanes
Serious climate action means fixing public transit. When the bus is fast and reliable, fewer people drive and overall traffic and emissions are significantly reduced. But since our buses must slog through traffic to get anywhere, some of OC Transpo's most popular routes — like the 6, 7, 85, and 88 — are late 40% … Continue reading Free The Bus! Get Transit Moving with Bus Only Lanes
OC Transpo Service Cuts Explained
As other cities invest in better service, OC Transpo is planning service cuts and a fare hike. This is not how we grow ridership, cut emissions, or make our city more accessible. But what exactly are the changes? There are three main parts. Route Cuts A dozen 200-series connector routes are being cut. They run … Continue reading OC Transpo Service Cuts Explained
With this LRT, the bus should be free!
Every time the LRT breaks down, and replacement buses are pulled off their routes, more people turn away from public transit in favour of driving. That's bad for climate, affordability, and road safety. After four years of LRT issues, these are not growing pains but the result of political mismanagement. "The project was rushed, using … Continue reading With this LRT, the bus should be free!
Joint statement: Cancel road widenings to cover transit budget, fix service
Ottawa faces a real risk of more cuts to bus service after a recently announced budget shortfall. This was, unfortunately, entirely self inflicted. The mayor left a $39M hole in the 2023 transit budget, ultimately approved by a majority of city councilors, on the assumption it would be covered by provincial or federal contributions. It … Continue reading Joint statement: Cancel road widenings to cover transit budget, fix service
Budget 2023: Cut Fares, Not Service!
Ridership remains low, and OC Transpo's solution is cost cutting. This is completely backwards. To actually attract and retain riders, we must build a transit system worth using. This is the only way to get cars off the road and reduce carbon emissions. But it requires investments to improve and expand the system - not … Continue reading Budget 2023: Cut Fares, Not Service!
Statement on City of Ottawa’s 2023 Budget
With the introduction of the City’s 2023 budget, the people of Ottawa got some insight into what Mayor Sutcliffe’s promised 2.5% limit on property tax increases will actually mean. This is not a ‘tight’ budget that managed to avoid cuts to services but a reactionary budget that attacks the wellbeing of many of Ottawa’s working … Continue reading Statement on City of Ottawa’s 2023 Budget
Horizon Fest success!
We were were happy to have a table at this weekend's Horizon Fest event. One of our members, Richard Fidler, was the first to speak. His remarks are below in full: Free Transit Ottawa is a community group advocating for affordable, reliable,accessible and low-carbon public transit in Ottawa.As our name indicates, we want transit to … Continue reading Horizon Fest success!