As more federal public service workers return to the office and with students back in school, CTV News Ottawa put the city’s transit system and roadways to the test during the morning rush hour commute. The challenge: two reporters leaving Millennium Station in Orléans at the same time and race to Parliament Station downtown. I took OC Transpo, boarding Route 39 to Blair Station before transferring to the O-Train Line 1. My colleague, Katie Griffin, drove along Highway 174 and into the downtown core, where she also had to find parking. The clock started at 8:05 a.m. There were plenty of parking spaces available at the Millennium Station park-and-ride, and around six vehicles. In fact, at first, I had the bus to myself. But route 39 makes 29 stops before reaching Blair Station, and the bus gradually filled with commuters. Among the passengers was Grace Ayenden, who takes the route regularly while travelling to Carleton University. “Most times the bus is swift, but there are a few exceptions,” she says. “Sometimes the bus can be delayed by five or 10 minutes, and if I miss that it can be a half-hour wait for the next.” On this Wednesday morning, however, traffic and transit connections moved smoothly. The bus passed heavy traffic along Highway 174 before arriving at Blair Station. The timing of this test also comes as OC Transpo adjusts to increased demand downtown. Under the transit agency’s new fall schedule, Line 1 trains now arrive every four minutes during the morning and evening rush hours as more federal employees return to their workplaces. The train was not overly crowded during the trip downtown, and the connection at Blair was quick. I arrived at Parliament Station at 9:10 a.m., completing the trip in 65 minutes. Griffin was already waiting outside. Her drive downtown was roughly 15 minutes faster than the transit trip but driving comes with additional costs. The cost of fuel and the cost of parking downtown can quickly add up. The transit trip costs $4.10 when paying by credit, debit, or Presto card, or $4.15 in cash. But one successful morning commute does not tell the entire story of Ottawa’s transit system, particularly after years of service disruptions and breakdowns on the Confederation Line. On this day, the system passed the rush-hour test, with an on-time bus, an easy transfer at Blair Station and a smooth train ride downtown. Ayenden says a working and reliable system will go a long way in restoring confidence among riders. “I feel like, if they’re put in a bit of work, is going to be the best system.” she says.
