Route 51 snapshot: 27 January-23 February

 This article presents a "snapshot" of service on Route 51 between the 27th of January and 23rd of February in 2025. Data from Transsee. 

Ridership Analysis: Nepean, Part II

 The full dataset can be found in this spreadsheet, or in its original form, in this PDF. 

Introduction

This article is the second of a two-part on Nepean, split down the middle. The first part can be found here. This will cover routes 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 96, 111, 186, 187, 258, and 282. 

Transit Committee - 13 February, 2025

On Thursday, the 13th of February 2025, Transit Commission ... I mean, Transit Committee met for the first time in nearly three months to receive updates from OC Transpo's management on a variety of information. The video link can be found here. 

Before we begin, note that Vice-Chair Cathy Curry has been replaced with Steve Desroches. 

Ridership Analysis: Nepean, Part I

The full dataset can be found in this spreadsheet, or in its original form, in this PDF.  

Introduction

This article is the first in a two-part series, split in a completely arbitrary fashion because the bars do not fit on the graph without making them small and impossible to read. This article will analyse ridership patterns on routes <11>, [50], <51>, <53>, (57), [58], (61), (62), (63), [64], (74), (75), [153], [154], [155], and [158]. Part two will cover routes <80>, [81], [82], [83], [84], <85>, [86], <87>, <88>, [89], [96], <111>, [186], [187], (258), and (282). 

Upper Government Funding: No Replacement for a Responsible Municipal Government

Introduction

With two elections this year, Ottawa has received very good news on two fronts. First, on the 27th of January, the federal government announced $18 million a year to go towards OC Transpo's capital expenses. Then, on the 4th of February, the provincial Progressive Conservatives and Liberal both announced plans to upload the LRT's assets to the province, while the NDP promised a 50/50 cost sharing program for municipal transit operations. While not guaranteed, the second item has a good chance of going ahead; the first will depend on the whims of the maybe-Poilievre government. 

Both of these represent changes in how OC Transpo could be funded. 

Route 85 snapshot: 6th January - 2nd February

This article presents a "snapshot" of service on Route 85 between 6th January and 2nd February. All data sourced from Transsee. 

LRT Sub-Committee disbands; the City of Ottawa must create a transparency culture

Introduction

The LRT Sub-Committee formed in February 2023, following the release of the province's Ottawa Light Rail Transit Inquiry, which among other things, found that City Council's oversight of Phase One was inadequate, partly blocked by the Mayor for political reasons. 

According to the City, the Sub-Committee's mandate is 

[To] provide oversight and focused attention on non-operational matters related to Ottawa’s light rail systems (LRT), including all light rail construction projects, as well as the City’s action plan in response to the Ottawa Light Rail Public Inquiry and other third-party reviews of the light-rail transit system.

Basically, the Sub-Committee is in charge of oversight of capital projects for the LRT project, which currently includes 2.5 projects (Stage 2 East, West, and the nearly-completed South). The group (I'm not typing out "sub-committee" over and over) met eleven times since its founding a little less than two years ago, and have reported on progress on the inquiry recommendations, as well as providing updates on construction. 

The Sub-Committee is made of councillors Steve Desroches, Cathy Curry, Glen Gower, Theresa Kavanagh, Jeff Leiper, and Tim Tierney, with Mark Sutcliffe as mayor. 

The City cited a high workload on councillors, as well as their progress in following the inquiry recommendations; the Line 2/4 opening exercise has been proclaimed a success, it seems, at the City of Ottawa. 

Ridership Analysis: Kanata and Stittsville

The full dataset can be found in this spreadsheet, or in its original form, in this PDF. 

Introduction

This article will analyze ridership patterns in Kanata and Stittsville, including the (61), (62), (63), [64], [66], [67], <88>, [110], [161], [162], [164], [165], [166], [168], (252), (256), (257), (261), (262), (263), (264), (265), (266), (267), (268), and (283).