Two bus routes that serve downtown Ottawa and a route that runs between Blair Station and Tunney’s Pasture had the highest percentage of bus trip cancellations in January, as OC Transpo dealt with a bus shortage and maintenance backlog. Transit Services interim general manager Troy Charter announced on Jan. 9 that there had been an “increase in undelivered bus trips” due to an “increased number of buses requiring maintenance work.” OC Transpo says 9,263 trips were cancelled between Jan. 4 and 31 to accommodate the shortage of buses. As of Friday, an average of 492 buses were available every weekday for service, with an average weekday requirement of 500 buses. Data provided to CTV News Ottawa shows 2,994 of the 9,263 cancelled bus trips between Jan. 4 and 31 were on 10 bus routes. Route 6, which runs between Greenboro and Rockcliffe along Bank Street, had the highest percentage of trips cancelled between Jan. 4 and 31. There were 373 trips cancelled during the 27-day period, with only 88 per cent of trips delivered as planned. Route 7, which runs between Carleton University and St. Laurent and travels along Bank Street, Elgin Street and Rideau Street, had 372 trips cancelled. Ninety per cent of trips were delivered as planned between Jan. 4 and 31. Route 12 had 401 trips cancelled during the month of January, which runs between Blair Station and Tunney’s Pasture, with stops at Parliament, Lyon, Pimisi and Bayview Stations. Only 90 per cent of trips were delivered as planned on Route 12. Due to OC Transpo’s bus shortage, the transit service has temporarily decreased the number of planned bus trips a day by 255 trips, which resulted in a decrease of 20 buses required for service. OC Transpo says the reasons for cancelled trips include a lack of available buses, mechanical breakdowns, on-street adjustments for collisions and weather, and a lack of available drivers. Charter said on Friday that seven new electric buses have completed inspections and are now available for service, bringing the total number of electric buses in the fleet to 48. Coun. Marty Carr says the bus routes that run most frequently are most affected by cancellations. “The more frequent routes are the ones with the most cancellations simply because they run the most,” Carr said. “Often, we’ll see that the greatest cancellations come on routes such as the 6 and the 7. Route 41 also runs through my ward. It’s supposed to run every 15 minutes.” “Definitely frustrating when you have those routes canceled time and time again.” Here are the routes with the highest number of trips not delivered between Jan. 4 and 31.
