More than 2,000 bus trips cancelled in 1 week on OC Transpo routes

An OC Transpo bus with a "Not in service" sign is seen in this undated image. (CTV News Ottawa)

OC Transpo reported a spike in bus trip cancellations during the second week of February, mainly due to a lack of available bus drivers, on street adjustments and a shortage of buses.

Transit Services interim general manager Troy Charter provided an update on OC Transpo bus and rail service, which has featured hundreds of cancelled bus trips a week and single-car service on O-Train Line 1.

• These were the most cancelled OC Transpo bus routes during the first week of February

A total of 2,087 bus trips were cancelled during the week of Feb. 8 to 14, compared to 1,577 trip cancellations during the first week of February.

Charter said 4.7 per cent of planned bus trips were cancelled the week of Feb. 8 to 14, an increase from the 3.3 per cent of trips cancelled during the first week of February.

“The week of February 8 to February 14 saw a decline in bus service reliability compared to the preceding week,” Charter said.

“The main factor contributing to undelivered trips for the week was operator availability.”

The data shows 884 of the 2,087 bus trips were cancelled due to a lack of available bus operators, while 604 trips were cancelled due to on-street adjustments and 345 trips scrapped due to no buses available.

“We need to get our bus operator recruitment up,” Charter told reporters.

He says the spike in trip cancellations isn’t due to more drivers calling in sick.

“It links to traffic congestion and on-time performance,” Charter told reporters.

“If you recall several years ago, there was a change in law in which we need to provide mandated breaks every four hours for our operators. So if bus operators are running late due to traffic congestion, weather conditions – that’s why you see it more in the winter. If they’re running late and we don’t have an operator to fill in for that break, we need to give the operator that break.”

On average, OC Transpo had 495 buses available for service every day last week, with 500 buses required for service.

Charter says four new electric buses completed all their inspections and are now available for service.

“This helps increase the number of available buses,” Charter said. ”OC Transpo continues to expect 110 electric buses to be delivered and 89 to be available for service by the end of Q1.”

Charter added that OC Transpo’s recruitment campaign for new bus operators and mechanics continues.

“The recruitment team is seeing strong interest from prospective bus operators and there are currently 46 candidates in training,” Charter said.

“Since the start of 2026, 15 new operators have graduated. More training courses are planned this year, with a target of 374 new trainees. This will help to stabilize operator resources.”

O-Train Line 1

Twenty-one LRT vehicles remain available for service on O-Train Line 1, with OC Transpo continuing to run single-vehicle service on the east-west line due to an issue with the axle bearing assembly.

O-Train service continues to operate every three- to four minutes during peak periods, according to Charter.

As for the investigation into the spalling issue, Charter said Rideau Transit Group (RTG) has provided more technical information, and that is now being analyzed by OC Transpo staff and independent experts.

“Further information is still needed to verify and validate the appropriateness of short- and medium-term plans proposed by RTG, and further work is being done to better understand the supply chain status for replacement cartridge bearing assemblies (CBAs),” Charter wrote.

“As part of work stream 2, RTG is conducting further technical analysis and laboratory testing of CBAs to gather additional technical details. RTG has also engaged a consultant to provide increased expertise on bearings and monitoring techniques. Further investigations of enhanced containment measures are underway. “

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