As Ottawa residents enjoy a free weekend transit promotion, riders continue to express significant concerns about OC Transpo’s reliability and service quality. The fare-free weekend, running November 16-17, comes as the transit agency works to rebuild trust following months of disruptions.
“This free weekend is nice, but it doesn’t address the fundamental issues we face daily,” says Melissa Chen, who commutes from Barrhaven to downtown. “I’ve been late to work three times this month because buses simply didn’t show up according to the schedule.”
The promotion allows unlimited rides on all OC Transpo services including buses, O-Train lines, and Para Transpo. City officials hope the initiative will encourage ridership, which remains below pre-pandemic levels despite recent efforts to improve service.
Transit Commission Chair Councillor Glen Gower acknowledges the challenges. “We recognize there’s more work to do in rebuilding rider confidence,” he told me during a brief interview at Tunney’s Pasture station. “The free weekend is just one small step in our broader strategy to improve the transit experience.”
Recent data from OC Transpo shows on-time performance hovering around 82% for conventional bus routes, below the target of 90%. The figures are particularly troubling for suburban routes, where some communities report reliability as low as 75%.
Ottawa Transit Riders, a local advocacy group, conducted a survey last month revealing that 68% of respondents had experienced significant delays or cancellations within the previous two weeks. The group’s coordinator, Sam Hersh, believes more substantial changes are needed.
“Free transit is always welcome, but without addressing systemic staffing shortages and operational inefficiencies, it’s merely a band-aid solution,” Hersh explains. “Our members want consistent, reliable service they can count on every day.”
The transit agency continues to face a driver shortage, with approximately 80 positions currently unfilled despite ongoing recruitment efforts. This staffing gap has led to hundreds of trip cancellations monthly, primarily affecting suburban routes.
For small business owners like Raj Patel, who operates a café near Lincoln Fields Station, unreliable transit directly impacts his bottom line. “Both my employees and customers depend on OC Transpo. When service is unpredictable, I see immediate effects on my business.”
Councillor Theresa Kavanagh, who represents Bay Ward, says she continues to receive numerous complaints about reliability. “The feedback from constituents is clear – they appreciate free service, but what they truly want is dependability.”
Transportation experts suggest that rebuilding trust requires sustained improvement rather than one-off promotions. Professor Raktim Mitra from Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Urban Planning points to international examples where transit agencies successfully regained public confidence.
“Cities like Barcelona and Seoul demonstrated that consistent service improvements over 6-12 months can significantly shift public perception,” Mitra notes. “Free fare days can complement this strategy but aren’t effective as standalone solutions.”
During my visits to various stations throughout Saturday, I observed moderate ridership increases, though not the substantial crowds some had anticipated. Many riders I spoke with expressed appreciation for the free weekend but remained skeptical about long-term improvements.
The free weekend coincides with ongoing construction on the Trillium Line, which remains delayed after missing multiple opening targets. The most recent projection suggests a December launch, though no specific date has been announced.
City projections suggest OC Transpo will face a $37.5 million deficit this year, attributed to lower-than-expected ridership and increased operational costs. Transit officials hope initiatives like the free weekend will help rebuild the ridership base necessary for financial sustainability.
For longtime riders like Patricia Simmons, 67, who has
