OC Transpo says transit riders can participate in more than just free rides the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27. The weekend of no-cost service was approved by city council as a way to compensate transit users following months of issues and reduced service on O-Train Line 1 due to the spalling issue that was discovered on trains and for the high number of bus trip cancellations this past winter because of mechanical and staffing problems. In a memo to city councillors and the mayor on Friday, Transit Services general manager Rick Leary said the weekend will coincide with several major events, including the Ottawa 200 Block Party, SoundScape and Nuit Blanche. OC Transpo will also have its own events on both Saturday and Sunday. “OC Transpo staff will welcome customers throughout the entire weekend, and double-car trains will be operating on Line 1 to provide more space,” Leary wrote. “O-Buskers performances and a Ride and Seek challenge will provide entertainment, and Happy Goat Coffee Co. will offer free coffee promotions on both days from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at its in-station kiosks located at Blair, Hurdman, and Tunney’s Pasture stations.” On Saturday, Sept. 26, OC Transpo will hold an open house at Place d’Orléans Station, giving residents the chance to tour the new station on the O-Train East Extension. OC Transpo staff and a vintage bus will also be part of the Ottawa 200 Block Party at Marion Dewar Plaza. Leary said there will be giveaways. On Sunday, OC Transpo will host a transit showcase at Hurdman Station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with tours of new vehicles, a Para Transpo Talk session, and other activities. Service across the OC Transpo and Para Transpo network will be at no cost to riders from 3 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 until 3 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28. This will be the first of two free service weekends approved by council in June. The second will be scheduled after the launch of the O-Train East Extension. According to city staff, the cost to hold two free weekends of transit service is approximately $900,000. It was the least expensive of the options council considered to compensate riders for poor service at the start of the year. A 50 per cent refund provided to customers for disruptions between Jan. 22 and March 31 would have cost approximately $8.2 million, according to a report for the transit committee, while a 50 per cent discount on the price of monthly passes sold to individual customers would cost $2 million to $2.5 million a month. Pre-trial running on the O-Train East Extension is expected to begin next month. The pre-trial running would last at least a week, the trial running period will last for a minimum of 21 days, with staff saying another five to 10 days will be required to finalize all documents and the system before the extension opens.
