Ottawa Transit Bulletin - December 2005

Summary: In this isssue: OC Transpo Strike Watch ... Protests against fare increases ... Ottawa transit budget ... new bus roadway to Fallowfield ... more.

==> Notes before the News

Welcome to the December issue of OTB, issued 3rd December 2005.

Holiday service highlights...

*** Friday 23 December 2005 ***

OC: extra service on 95, 96, 97 - no early start to afternoon peak time
STO: special weekday schedule, with extra service from noon

*** Christmas Eve Saturday 24 December 2005 ***

OC: regular Saturday schedule
STO: regular Saturday schedule

*** Christmas Day Sunday 25 December 2005 ***

OC: reduced - less than half the Sunday schedule
     - 60 minute service most routes
     - 30 minute service on 2, 85, 95, 96, 97
     - no O-Train service
     - see http://www.octranspo.com
STO: Sunday schedule from 12 noon to 7pm only

*** Boxing Day Monday 26 December 2005 ***

OC: Sunday schedule
STO: Sunday schedule

*** Tuesday 27 December 2005 ***

OC: Sunday schedule
STO: Saturday schedule

*** Wednesday-Thursday 28-29 December 2005 ***

OC: reduced weekday schedule
STO: reduced weekday schedule

*** Friday 30 December 2005 ***

OC: reduced weekday schedule
STO: special weekday schedule, with extra service from noon

*** New Year's Eve Saturday 31 December 2005 ***

OC: Saturday schedule
STO: Saturday schedule

*** New Year's Day Sunday 1 January 2006 ***

OC: reduced - less than half the Sunday schedule
     - 60 minute service most routes
     - 30 minute service on 2, 85, 95, 96, 97
     - no O-Train service
     - see http://www.octranspo.com
STO: Sunday schedule from 12 noon to 7pm only

*** 2 January 2006 ***

OC: Reduced weekday schedule
STO: Sunday scheduled

*** 3-6 January 2006 ***

OC: reduced weekday schedule
STO: regular weekday schedule

*** Saturday 7 January 2006 ***

OC: regular Saturday schedule
STO: regular Saturday schedule

*** Sunday 8 January 2006 ***

OC: winter timetables in effect
STO: regular Sunday schedule

*** Next general schedule changes ***
* OC: after Christmas/New Year's - early 2006 (http://www.octranspo.com)
* STO: see http://www.sto.ca

=========================================================================

==> In this issue (in order) ...

   * Sightings and Mysteries
   * Fare increase protests begin
   * Ottawa Budget Watch
   * Strike Watch
   * New bus roadway to Fallowfield opens
   * Riders' Calendar
   * Contact us

Thanks again:
-------------
To those whose contributions, encouragement and feedback help make this
issue of OTB possible.

=========================================================================

==> Sightings and Mysteries

1. Sighting: Throughout December, on Friday evenings and all weekend,
STO's transfer ticket will be valid for 4 hours, twice the normal
time limit. [www.sto.ca]

2. Sighting: STO offers free Christmas and New Year's Day transit.
Service will be from noon to 7pm only, based on the Sunday schedule.

3. Sighting: The annual Christmas Food Drive took place Saturday 3rd
December. Non-perishable food donations were accepted at city Loblaws
stores, and on the buses. But the current strike threat may take a bite
out of this year's campaign. Note that groups such as the Ottawa Food
Bank continue to work all year round to help those less fortunate
e.g. http://www.theottawafoodbank.ca.

4. Mystery: The extension of many short-turned route 97 buses to
Tunney's Pasture is a welcome improvement from stranding many
passengers at Lebreton or downtown. But once the westbound 97
reaches Tunney's Pasture, the last stop is at the downstairs
transitway level. But the bus will then go upstairs to the
Scott/Holland Street level to get set for a return trip. Why not
make the final 97-Tunney's stop at the upstairs level to catch
other routes at the surface (eg. 16, 18, 176) or to save a walk
upstairs for those just walking from the station?

=========================================================================

==> Fare increase protests begin

1st December made Ottawa's transit service the most expensive transit
cash fares in Canada - $3.00 for regular adult fare. Pass prices
also rose far beyond inflation.

Under Pressure Collective (www.upcollective.org) scheduled a
"Can't Afford the Fare Hike" protest on 1st December. The group
was to march from Vanier to Ottawa City Hall.

Another protest was announced at Carleton University the same day.
Students are particularly hard hit by fare increases.

=========================================================================

==> Ottawa Budget Watch

The City of Ottawa Budget process wraps up this month. Budget documents
are available at www.ottawa.ca, with a deadline for budget comments
of 7th December 2005.

When City Council pulled its fast one to implement its 2006 transit
fare increases this month, this seemingly removed the issue of
transit fare hikes from the budget deliberations. Budget documents
do show the 2006 increases as implemented in December.

Although there is no visible plan for another fare hike in 2006,
there is nothing to stop the city from jacking fares up again
next year. There is also no incentive for the city to improve the
efficiency of transit operations, and the plans surrounding the
controversial light rail mega-project suggest things are moving
in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, the budget documents admit that Transportation Master Plan
targets for ridership are not being met. The 2005 goal was for
96 million trips on OC; the reality is expected to be 89.6 million.
There was to be 126 trips per capita this year in the plan; the
reality is expected to be 118.2.

Comment on the budget process before 7th December by emailing
budget@ottawa.ca, or otherwise contacting the city (www.ottawa.ca,
through the new 311 telephone number, or other means).

=========================================================================

==> Strike Watch

Latest word on the OC labour situation was that the union has threatened
to walk off the job on Monday 5th December if a contract agreement was
not in place by then.

The City of Ottawa announced it would continue to negotiate through the
weekend towards an agreement.

Meanwhile at press time, the buses and O-Train continued to move.

=========================================================================

==> New bus roadway to Fallowfield opens

The Southwest Transitway to Fallowfield is set to open 13th December
(subject to any strike situation). The $10 million, 3.2 km separate
roadway between Fallowfield Station and Nepean Sportsplex is
intended to "minimize delays" (although no one has ever reported any
serious 95 delays in that area under normal conditions).

The new road runs alongside Woodroffe Avenue, which itself was
widened to four lanes. The approach taken differs from what
is seen on Woodroffe north of the Sportsplex, where there are
bus only lanes in use.

The new separated roadway actually reduces transit service, since
there are no longer any stops between the Sportsplex and Fallowfield
Station. No thought was given to adding intermediate stations on
this section. No significant time savings on the 95 are expected as
a result of this route.

Despite the modern state of construction technology and the significant
effort of the roadwork involved, the new transitway section will face
have level railway crossings. In fact, changes to the rail crossing
gates result in a much longer wait on Woodroffe (and the new transit
road) when a train is crossing or stopped at the VIA Fallowfield station.

To replace the lost stops, Route 157 is introduced as a very limited
peak hour service in the Merivale Gardens/Grenfell Glen area.

=========================================================================

==> Riders' Calendar

7th December 2005 - deadline for comments into Ottawa city budget
process - budget@ottawa.ca.

Ottawa's Transportation Committee would have met 7th December 2005,
but this meeting is cancelled.

Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee is not expected to formally
meet this month (and is unlikely to have any more formal meetings in 2005).

=========================================================================

==> Contact us

OTB welcomes letters and articles on transit topics - please e-mail them
to: otra-info@flora.org - please note that typical editorial and content
type rules may apply to letters or other contributions.

Note that issues of OTB are available in various ways, including:

OTRA website (includes back issues):
http://otra.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/otb/index.html

OttawaStart Transit Guide - Ottawa Transit Bulletin is linked from here:
http://www.ottawastart.com/transit.shtml

=========================================================================

Ottawa Transit Bulletin (OTB) is a monthly electronic publication produced
by the Ottawa Transit Riders Association (OTRA).

It is primarily available in e-mail format. Distribution of this bulletin
to those interested in Ottawa Transit is encouraged, but please 1) leave
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Publication will normally be around the first day of each month (may vary
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special occasional bulletins beyond the base monthly frequency if news and
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OTRA is an independent transit users group dedicated to supporting customers
of transit services, and improving the quality of transit service. Neither
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joining today!

For more information on OTB and OTRA:

E-Mail: otra-info@flora.org
Web:    http://www.flora.org/otra/
Mail:   Suite 103, 797 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R3

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