Trainers did not have expected experience to train operators for Ottawa’s new LRT line, audit concludes

Ottawa’s auditor general has found that instructors hired to train the new operators on Line 2 and 4 did not have enough experience. CTV’s Josh Marano reports.

Instructors hired to train the new operators for Ottawa’s Line 2 and Line 4 did not have the “expected experience and training” required to begin the training program for new diesel rail operators, according to a new audit.

The Office of the Auditor General released a new report Monday into the Trillium Line Training Program, concluding instructors did not have the required two years of service, there was limited evidence available to support the hiring of “several” relief instructors, and trainers were teaching the operators before they “had completed all of their training.”

OC Transpo general manager Renee Amilcar told the audit committee that all issues were addressed before the Trillium Line opened to the public.

“The system is safe, and all operators have been properly trained,” Amilcar said. “Most of the issues have already been resolved, including completing all planned hours of training and reviewing the training files for these operators, controllers and instructors.”

Amilcar insisted the auditor general’s report should not undermine safety on the LRT system.

“I do not want this investigation to weaken anyone’s confidence in the safety of our transit system,” Amilcar said, noting the investigation only looked at the training program for the Trillium Line. “OC Transpo’s number one priority is the safety of its system and passengers.”

The report was released one month after OC Transpo opened the new Line 2 and Line 4, which runs between Bayview Station and Limebank Station, with a spur to the Ottawa International Airport. The audit was launched following several reports to the Fraud and Waste Hotline about the training program for the new north-south light rail transit line.

The Canadian Rail Operating Rules state to qualify as an on-job training instructor for diesel operators, the individual must complete more than two years of service as a locomotive engineer, including at least three months of service in the area where they’re training.

“Overall, evidence available could not demonstrate that specific Trillium Line operator instructors had the expected experience and training prior to commencing instruction,” the report says.

“This could have had an impact on the quality of the instruction provided to the operators responsible for operating the diesel trains. We further found incomplete training records for the diesel rail operators, controllers and instructors. We understand from management that all required training was completed, and training records were updated before revenue service commenced.”

Deputy Auditor General Joanne Gorenstein told the Audit Committee that the audit found the instructors were mainly selected due to their legacy diesel rail operator experience on the old Trillium Line, and OC Transpo interpreted the two years of experience as a locomotive engineer differently than the federal rules.

“While we could find evidence that all on job instructors met management’s definition, the historical scheduling and payroll records showed that some lacked significant rail operating hour experience,” Gorenstein said.

“Given the inconsistencies found, we cannot conclude whether these instructors had the necessary experience before commencing instruction.”

Gorenstein added that through interviews during the audit, the AG’s office learned “OC Transpo prioritized the on-job training of the operators over the instructors.”

“This led to instructors training the operators before they, themselves, had completed all of their training hours,” Gorenstein said.

“Finally, we found that the instructors were supervising each other during the initial on-job training despite none of them having completed all of their required practical training hours.

“Inconsistent qualification and training of instructors before they commence instruction can impact the effectiveness of the on-job training program. It should be noted that, as a risk mitigation measure, operator trainees were rotated among instructors during the on-job training to provide exposure to a variety of instructors.”

The auditor also concluded there was “limited evidence available to support the hiring of several diesel rail instructors. Six people were hired as relief instructors “despite being unsuccessful in pervious instructor competition processes for the Trillium Line,” Gorenstein said.

Gorenstein added seven out of 10 successful candidates for temporary or permanent instructor positions “did not fully meet the minimum experience requirements.”

“The candidates hired for the operator instructor position often lacked experience delivering training. We also found that a successful controller instructor candidate lacked the required minimum number of years of certified controller experience for the role.”

The audit also found there was limited formal evaluation of the diesel rail instructors’ skills and competencies,” and incomplete training records for several Trillium Line employees.

The auditor general’s office makes three recommendations for training, including reviewing the hiring practices for the relief instructor pool and ensure all diesel rail instructors are subject to the required performance observations.

Amilcar said OC Transpo is bolstering its processes for documenting and supporting records for hiring, training and qualifications, and designing an oversight strategy.

“None of this work was safety critical,” Amilcar said about the launch.

Amilcar said all training has been brought in-house at OC Transpo.

The city says staff agree with all of the OAG’s recommendations and are working to improve the hiring practices, training, and oversight of instructors.

“While the City recognizes the need for these improvements, OC Transpo’s rail operations have multiple layers of safety systems that operate independently of the training program,” the city said in a statement.

“These include on-board safety systems on trains, oversight from the Transit Operations Control Centre, and strict adherence to rules, operating procedures, and policies that ensure compliance with all regulations.”