OC Transpo spring service changes

The OC Transpo spring service changes will take effect Sunday, April 21.

First, there are a few spring services changes that are to come:

• Route 269 will be renumbered as route 257, so route number 269 can be retired out of respect for those who passed away or were injured in the Westboro Station bus collision. The route will follow the same routing and schedule.
• Routes 164 and 252 are going to be slightly adjusted in Bridlewood to improve access to the bus routes and to avoid pedestrians crossing Hope Side Road at unsignalized locations.
• The frequency of the O-Train Line 2 will be reduced in the evenings on weekdays and Saturdays, and during the day on Sundays. However, there will be no change to the times of the first and last trips.

Spring is here, which also means more construction coming our way. The construction will affect certain bus routes, those that use the following routes should give themselves extra travel time:

• Routes 12, 14, 18, and 19 – The service will be affected by the construction on Montreal Road, between North River Road and the Vanier Parkway.
• Routes 228 and 302 – The service will be affected by the construction on Navan Road, between Renaud and Mer Bleue Road.
• Routes 252 and 256 – The service will be affected by the construction on Old Richmond Road, between West Hunt Club and Hope Side Road.
• Routes 5 and 14 are still affected due to the ongoing Elgin Street Renewal Project.
• Route 10 is still affected due to the construction on Bronson Avenue. This may impact routing and schedules.
• Route 40 and 48 are still affected by the construction on St-Laurent Boulevard and Walkley Road.
• Route 283 and 301 are still affected due to the roadwork on the Richmond Bridge in the village of Richmond.

There is also the return of Rack & Roll program. There will be bike racks on major bus routes across the City, this includes routes 12, 61, 62, 62, 85, 88, 91, 94, 95, 97, 98, 99, 101, and 106. The City of Ottawa says they’ll have over 600 buses equipped with a bike rack by mid-May. There is also bicycle parking available at most transit stations and OC Transpo riders can bring their bicycles on O-Train Line 2 year-round.

Lastly, OC Transpo would like to remind students that their Winter U-Passes are to expire by April 30th and should switch to Presto for their summer transit. The Summer U-Passes run from the beginning of May to the end of August, and all eligible full-time students at Algonquin College, Carleton University, University of Ottawa, and Saint Paul University are able to obtain or renew their passes on campus. Also, those students with lower incomes may be eligible for the EquiPass while unable to receive the U-Pass. Those applying for EquiPass should do so in advance to allow for the four week approval time.

OC Transpo customers are encouraged to visit octranspo.com to see regular trips and to subscribe to email and text alerts to receive the latest updates.