EMC News - In an effort to cut $22 million from Ottawa's Transit Services budget OC Transpo officials have proposed the most drastic changes seen in the bus service's history according to the chair of the Transit Commission.
Bus riders are expected to take the brunt of the results of the cost-cutting measures.
"The nature of these changes is that every single one of them will cause some form of inconvenience on our customers," transit service design manager Pat Scrimgeour said, quickly adding there are several improvements in the proposed plan as well. "Some customers will have a longer walk or longer wait or longer ride."
Called network optimization proposals, the plan is expected to affect tens of thousands of commuters. The proposal would merge about 80 different bus routes as well as shorten 20 others as well as cutting some hours of service.
The goal is to save $6.5 million in 2011 and $19.5 million annually. Additional savings add up to $22 million annually. The Transit Commission discussed the network optimization proposals during a Wednesday, March 23 meeting at city hall.
While finding the savings the transit service must still follow council policy of providing service to 95 per cent of residents within a "convenient walking distance."
That distance constitutes a five-minute walk to a bus station in peak hours and 10 minutes in off-peak hours.
"That is our basis for moving forward," OC Transpo general manager Alain Mercier said.
The proposal states around 53 routes will remain unchanged or improved, 80 routes will be up for consolidation, 21 will have shortened routes and 19 routes will have reduced hours of service.
Routes 32, 65, 103, 144, 153, 167, 169, 190 and 197 are proposed to be eliminated.
"We're prepared to take this package of changes to the people," Scrimgeour said referring to the public consultations planned from March 23 to April 7. "They will help us make it an even better package."
Scrimgeour says 93 per cent of OC Transpo customers will be unaffected by the changes. Five per cent will have more walking to do and two per cent will have to use transfers more.
Transit Commission member Coun. Rainer Bloess was pleased with the presentation but saw a few bugaboos.
"The majority of the changes I do see streamline the service," he said. "There are a lot of positives, but we do have to work on the finer details. This proposal will result in loss of ridership. If we don't think we'll lose some we're fooling ourselves."
Bloess said he feels some people will go back to their cars if their routes are affected.
Mercier said their savings estimates do not take into account a reduction of ridership due to network optimization.
Following the Transit Commission meeting Amalgamated Transit Union President Garry Queale spoke about the proposal.
"Our major concern is public safety," he told the media in a scrum outside the doors of the Andrew S. Hayden Hall council chambers.
He was concerned riders will have a longer walk at night following their work. Queale says the proposals favour those who work nine-to-five jobs.
"It's going to make it hard for those without a vehicle who work odd hours," he said. "Transit service is to serve the public."
Queale said the union wasn't consulted. He attended a brief meeting with OC Transpo management the day before but there were changes in the Wednesday presentation.
"They have the right to manage but it would have been nice if they included us," he said.
Transit Commission chair Coun. Diane Deans also spoke with the EMC following the meeting.
"It's big, it's huge - very comprehensive," she said. "We've never seen anything so comprehensive."
Coun. Deans expects the public consultations will be noisy.
"Any time you have as big a change you are going to hear from the public," she said, pointing out that's a good thing. "People who use it know the system very well. People don't like seeing empty buses."
While the changes are big, Deans feels quality service won't be compromised.
"We're still offering some of the best transit service in North America," she said. "We're exceeding our service standard."
Coun. Deans said this meeting is only the first step towards network optimization with public consultations the next step.
"People can come and talk to us and if there are changes that need to be made they will be considered," she said.
Deans called the process a "balancing act" between providing users a good product while keeping the taxpayer in mind.
"This exercise isn't about taking an axe to the (transit service)," she said. "It's about using a scalpel. We have to find the right balance of providing a comprehensive service while keeping the taxpayer in mind. This is the start of the process. Now we listen to the public."
Public consultations were held Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30. There will be other consultations tonight at the Nepean Sportsplex, Monday, April 4 at the Jim Durrell Recreation Complex and Tuesday. April 5 at the Shenkman Arts Centre. All consultations start at 7 p.m.
jdavies@theemc.ca
Bus riders are expected to take the brunt of the results of the cost-cutting measures.
"The nature of these changes is that every single one of them will cause some form of inconvenience on our customers," transit service design manager Pat Scrimgeour said, quickly adding there are several improvements in the proposed plan as well. "Some customers will have a longer walk or longer wait or longer ride."
Called network optimization proposals, the plan is expected to affect tens of thousands of commuters. The proposal would merge about 80 different bus routes as well as shorten 20 others as well as cutting some hours of service.
The goal is to save $6.5 million in 2011 and $19.5 million annually. Additional savings add up to $22 million annually. The Transit Commission discussed the network optimization proposals during a Wednesday, March 23 meeting at city hall.
While finding the savings the transit service must still follow council policy of providing service to 95 per cent of residents within a "convenient walking distance."
That distance constitutes a five-minute walk to a bus station in peak hours and 10 minutes in off-peak hours.
"That is our basis for moving forward," OC Transpo general manager Alain Mercier said.
The proposal states around 53 routes will remain unchanged or improved, 80 routes will be up for consolidation, 21 will have shortened routes and 19 routes will have reduced hours of service.
Routes 32, 65, 103, 144, 153, 167, 169, 190 and 197 are proposed to be eliminated.
"We're prepared to take this package of changes to the people," Scrimgeour said referring to the public consultations planned from March 23 to April 7. "They will help us make it an even better package."
Scrimgeour says 93 per cent of OC Transpo customers will be unaffected by the changes. Five per cent will have more walking to do and two per cent will have to use transfers more.
Transit Commission member Coun. Rainer Bloess was pleased with the presentation but saw a few bugaboos.
"The majority of the changes I do see streamline the service," he said. "There are a lot of positives, but we do have to work on the finer details. This proposal will result in loss of ridership. If we don't think we'll lose some we're fooling ourselves."
Bloess said he feels some people will go back to their cars if their routes are affected.
Mercier said their savings estimates do not take into account a reduction of ridership due to network optimization.
Following the Transit Commission meeting Amalgamated Transit Union President Garry Queale spoke about the proposal.
"Our major concern is public safety," he told the media in a scrum outside the doors of the Andrew S. Hayden Hall council chambers.
He was concerned riders will have a longer walk at night following their work. Queale says the proposals favour those who work nine-to-five jobs.
"It's going to make it hard for those without a vehicle who work odd hours," he said. "Transit service is to serve the public."
Queale said the union wasn't consulted. He attended a brief meeting with OC Transpo management the day before but there were changes in the Wednesday presentation.
"They have the right to manage but it would have been nice if they included us," he said.
Transit Commission chair Coun. Diane Deans also spoke with the EMC following the meeting.
"It's big, it's huge - very comprehensive," she said. "We've never seen anything so comprehensive."
Coun. Deans expects the public consultations will be noisy.
"Any time you have as big a change you are going to hear from the public," she said, pointing out that's a good thing. "People who use it know the system very well. People don't like seeing empty buses."
While the changes are big, Deans feels quality service won't be compromised.
"We're still offering some of the best transit service in North America," she said. "We're exceeding our service standard."
Coun. Deans said this meeting is only the first step towards network optimization with public consultations the next step.
"People can come and talk to us and if there are changes that need to be made they will be considered," she said.
Deans called the process a "balancing act" between providing users a good product while keeping the taxpayer in mind.
"This exercise isn't about taking an axe to the (transit service)," she said. "It's about using a scalpel. We have to find the right balance of providing a comprehensive service while keeping the taxpayer in mind. This is the start of the process. Now we listen to the public."
Public consultations were held Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30. There will be other consultations tonight at the Nepean Sportsplex, Monday, April 4 at the Jim Durrell Recreation Complex and Tuesday. April 5 at the Shenkman Arts Centre. All consultations start at 7 p.m.
jdavies@theemc.ca
