City honours OC Transpo employees who enhance public safety at 25th Annual Transecure Awards

At the 25

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annual Transecure Awards ceremony, the City of Ottawa today honoured the heroic actions of OC Transpo employees who went above and beyond the call of duty to provide aid and comfort to residents in need.

“Each year while providing safe, reliable and efficient transit service, OC Transpo employees continue to look out for the security of the public,” said Deputy Mayor Mark Taylor. “The stories we heard today solidify why our customers continue to show confidence in our transit system – it’s because of the caring, selfless individuals who go out of their way to make a difference.”

This year, OC Transpo bus Operator Brian was named the 2014 Transecure Employee of the Year for his brave actions that may have helped save the life of a baby. On October 17, 2014, Brian’s bus was rear-ended by a pick-up truck while at the bus service stop on Industrial Avenue. He quickly went to assist the pick-up truck driver who was frantically struggling to open his back door. Brian then realized that the man was desperately trying to remove his newborn baby from the back seat as his truck filled with smoke. Together, Brian and the driver were able to pry open the door and get the baby out of the back seat. Thanks to Brian’s swift reaction, the baby was safely removed from the vehicle without injury.

“On the 25

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anniversary of the Transecure Awards, we tip our hats to the OC Transpo employees who have gone far beyond the call of duty to help customers and residents in emergency situations,” said Councillor Stephen Blais, Chair of the Transit Commission. “Their dedication during times of crisis is a testament to their professionalism and we thank them for helping make both our transit system and city safe.”

The Transecure program is a community watch program on wheels. OC Transpo employees look out for the safety of all community members and, as a result, become the eyes and ears of the community. They notify emergency services when required and assist individuals who are in distress, offering a safe haven in any OC Transpo vehicle. In 2014, OC Transpo employees made 312 Transecure calls, bringing the total number of calls to 10,527 since the program’s inception in October 1989.

For more information on the programs OC Transpo has in place to make transit safe and secure, please visit octranspo.com .