Tag Archives: OC Transpo
COVID Silver Linings
City officials in Ottawa, Canada, probably won’t admit it, but the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing for them. People are focusing on health and not the city’s under-performing light rail system. The multi-billion dollar project was opened to the public with great fanfare in September, and the breakdowns started almost immediately. […]
The Two Billion Dollar Lemon
Citizens of Ottawa can be forgiven for thinking their municipal government has squandered a couple of billion taxpayers dollars in exchange for some sour fruit, in this case a large lemon. The train is running in Ottawa again, or at least it was Friday when I wrote this. No guarantees that will continue. When […]
Bus Woes
It’s amazing how much you can forget in a year. But it is coming back to me now: Ottawa’s transit system is designed to give riders ulcers. That many route numbers and routes have been changed is no surprise. Those in charge of OC Transpo don’t want people getting comfortable. They’ve added a new layer […]
Not Taking The Bus
OC Transpo, our municipal transit service, is down 1.5 million riders from this time last year. That is a significant drop. There’s a cliché about rocket science that I am going to forego here, no matter how tempting. Apparently the people in charge haven’t quite figured out why people are no longer taking the bus. […]
Canada Day Celebrations – III
Pretty much anyone in Ottawa will tell you that the worst place to watch the national Canada Day fireworks display is on Parliament Hill. But I went anyway. You would think the Hill would be the best place, given that the fireworks are set of more or less at its base. The Hill […]
Presto!
I broke the law and have no regrets. They didn’t catch me. Well, technically it wasn’t a law, but I think a city bylaw. I didn’t ask what rules I was about to break, just told the transit employee I was going to take my chances and be riding the bus without paying. Now before […]
Presto Woes
I’m finally getting my money’s worth on my daily commute. I am riding for free. My schedule this month has me not going into the office as much as usual. It didn’t make financial sense to purchase my usual monthly transit pass. I decided to “pay as you go.” Ottawa, like many cities, offers a […]
Transit Blues
When the fare inspector steps onto the bus you can feel the tension mounting. Ottawa’s transit system works on the honour system, at least for the articulated buses that allow rear-door entry. You are supposed to swipe you payment card and a record is made of your trip. The key words in that sentence are […]
Commuter Etiquette
When I was young the British had a reputation: they knew how to queue. When a line formed in the UK, for whatever reason, it was always orderly. That fact would usually be mentioned as people were trying to find their way through a chaotic situation where an orderly line would have made things so […]
Best Laid Plans
The Ottawa Jazz Festival ended last night. If you were planning on attending and hadn’t noted the dates you probably aren’t all that thrilled with me for bringing that up. My apologies…but really, it is up to you to keep on track of these things. I am neither your mother nor your secretary. I mention […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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