OC Transpo unveils new double-decker buses

Seventy five new double-decker buses will be in service by April 2013, with the first hitting the road in October.

OC Transpo passengers riding to and from Ottawa’s suburbs will soon have a better chance of a unique, British-style busing experience.

The city has ordered 75 new double-decker buses to replace older articulated models, which hold fewer people and can have trouble during winter storms.

"It adds more flavour to the city,” said one rider. “It gives more entertainment when people ride the bus."

"Looking like London is always appealing," said another.

These new models come at a cost of $82 million and will run on express routes to Orleans, Barrhaven and Kanata. The city said they'll save around $8 million a year by making the switch.

They’re designed to hold 90 people, 20 more than the buses they’re replacing.

“Especially on the morning commute to work and coming home, you’re packed like sardines,” said Dayna Hawkins. “If it’s more comfortable, I’m all for it.”

“These buses ae both environmentally sustainable, will help us serve the needs of our citizens and contribute to excellent customer service,” said councillor Diane Deans.

Still, some drivers and riders said they won’t go very far in solving some of OC Transpo’s deeper issues.

"I'm worried about the boarding, loading and unloading the buses and how long it will take," said one driver.

"It's not an overly efficient system so just adding more backlog and buses, I don't know if it will make much of a difference," said an OC Transpo customer.

All the new buses are set to join three double-deckers already in OC Transpo’s fleet by April, with roll-out starting in October.

With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Stefanie Masotti