Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 22:15:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: Ottawa Transit Riders Association 
Sender: dl@localhost.localdomain
To: otra-info@flora.org
Subject: Ottawa Transit Bulletin - June 2005

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                          O t t a w a
                          T r a n s i t
                          B u l l e t i n
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                          J u n e   2 0 0 5
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==>  Notes before the News

Welcome to the June issue of OTB, issued 1st June 2005.

No OTRA meetings are scheduled for this month. Watch the otra-discuss
mailing list for further information.

*** Quebec holiday Fri 24 June 2005 ***

OC:  schedule changes unknown
STO: regular weekday service

*** Canada Day Fri 1 July 2005 ***

OC:  likely Sunday schedule; not officially announced yet
STO: schedule changes unknown


*** Next general schedule changes ***
  * OC:  26 June 2005 (http://www.octranspo.com)
  * STO: 20 June 2005 and 29 Aug 2005 (http://www.sto.ca)

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

   * Sightings and Mysteries
   * Free shuttle for War Museum Opening
   * Tulip Festival
   * Station Safety Audits
   * Riders' Calendar
   * Contact us

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

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==>  Transportation Committee backs off on major fare hikes

Ottawa's Transportation Committee was considering a proposal to
implement a series of massive fare increases, beginning with a
7.5% fare hike in 2006. This would go beyond the current practice
of increasing fares based on inflation rate. For example, fares
increase about 2-3% each year, including this July's fare changes.

CFRA radio reported tonight (1st June) that there seems to be
some backing off from the larger fare increases. The report
could still be debated at City Council, and in the next round
of budget proceedings. The 2.5% drop in transit ridership in
the past year also suggested that this is no occasion for
extra-inflationary fare hikes.

Currently, OC Transpo service runs on a 51% cost recovery ratio.
That is, fares pay for little more than half the costs to operate
the system. The fare increase plan was intended to bring that share
up to 55%.

Yet the cost ratio does seem low compared to the approximately 80%
rate seen in Toronto. That city benefits from a very efficient
network structure that demonstrates hubs and spokes, trunk lines,
and straightforward grids of transit routes. Ottawa is unlikely
to match the 80% level since it has a smaller and less-concentrated
population, but the national capital system obviously has room
for improvement.

The lesson from Toronto, and many other cities, is that making the
transit networks work, rather than hitting the riders' pocketbooks,
is the way to go.

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==>  Sightings and Mysteries

1. Sighting: More open house events for the North-South LRT line
   plans this month. See Riders' Calendar below for dates and places.

2. Mystery: A wayward bus stop info post in the east end - bus stop
   number 8502 for route 126 shows the weekday times posted, but
   not the Saturday or Sunday times (the route does indeed run
   by that stop on weekends). The 560.1000 number at least gives
   the scheduled bus times.

3. Sighting: The Videolinks service is no more. Video displays
   with the ads (and sometimes outdated events info) are now gone.

4. Mystery: At least one of the newer 6030-series buses was spotted
   with labels on the rear doors indicating that passengers could
   not board except those with a Transpass or Unipass on Monday to
   Saturday, until 7pm. But Ottawa hasn't seen a current Transpass or
   Unipass for years! Labels on most other buses simply refer to the
   need to have a Regular or Express pass, without reference to which
   dates or times these are valid.

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==>  Transportation Committee notes

From the agenda of the 1st June 2005 Ottawa Transportation Committee
meeting (see http://www.ottawa.ca for info). Note that details of
decisions on these items were not available to OTB at press time.

- Concerns were raised about transit service during festivals such as
  Dragon Boat Festival and Italian Week, which have much activity during
  weekends when transit service is limited. The Committee was to have
  discussed what service policy should be in place for such occasions.

- There was a proposal that those with disabilities be eligible for a
  discount transit pass. The fare would be the same as for the Seniors'
  pass, and would begin as a one-year pilot project in July 2006. But if
  approved, the pass would replace the current free transit service for
  those on wheelchairs, scooters and walkers.

- There was a motion to open up the general transit policy document
  to public discussions before Transportation Committee decides on it.
  There are issues such as a need to deal with route structure and
  general policy issues. The existing TransPlan process only deals
  with individual route proposals.

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==>  Doors Open Ottawa

It's time to take a peek inside the buildings and facilities that
the public normally doesn't see. Doors Open weekend is 4-5 June this
year.

Transport-related tours are scheduled for:

- OC Transpo headquarters, 1500 St Laurent Blvd (routes 84, 85; south
  of St Laurent mall station).

- OC Walkley Maintenance Yard, 3101 Albion Rd off Walkley, east of Bank
  (no direct service; route 8 east of Walkley Station goes to Albion
  and Heatherington; walk south from there by Hydro Ottawa towards
  rail tracks, then east on access road to the yard).

- VIA Rail station, Tremblay Rd (Train transit station, route 95, etc.)

Info: http://ottawa.ca/city_services/culture/doorsopen/

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==>  Summer Transit Changes

New OC summer schedules that start 26 June 2005 are posted on
http://www.octranspo.com.

STO will change some routes 20 June 2005:

- route 39 changes routing between CHVO Hull and the Promenades mall,
  to connect Mutchmore area with CHVO

- route 47 is modified to go into Des Grives and Des Trembles, to
  connect this area with Aylmer area (west) and schools in the
  Cite-des-Jeunes area (east)

- route 49 is modified between Rivermead Park-and-Ride and CHVO Hull,
  to go into Plateau area, connecting Aylmer (west) and Cite-des-Jeunes
  (east).

STO will change some other routes 29 August 2005:

- new route 25 will serve areas west of Plateau area, from Europe/Pink
  to Tache through central Hull and into Ottawa

- route 26 will be extended in the west to Pink and Peupliers, with
  no other changes to the existing route

- new route 29 for the Manoir des Trembles area, starting at Des Grives
  through Les Trembles, to Tache, central Hull and into Ottawa

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==>  Commuter Challenge

5-11 June 2005 is Commuter Challenge week. This is a Canada-wide
competition involving numerous cities to encourage travel by
less-polluting means - walking, cycling, car-pooling, in-line
skating and transit.

Participants (individuals and workplaces) who register by Saturday
4th June are eligible to win one of various prizes. A few prizes will
remain available for draw until 11th June.

See these websites for official Commuter Challenge details:

http://www.envirocentre.ca/cc
http://www.commuterchallenge.ca

Also, 8th June is the Clean Air Day this year. The 2-for-1 transit
offer will take place again, where a fare-paying rider on OC or STO
can bring another rider for free.

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==>  Station Safety Audits

WISE is continuing its latest series of safety audits at various
Ottawa transit stations. This is an important time to raise safety
concerns over transit facilities as well as to take stock of what
positive safety factors already exist.

Next audits:

Terry Fox  - Tue 7th June, 8pm
Trim Road  - Thu 9th June, 5pm (NOTE EARLIER TIME)
Walkley    - Wed 15th June, 8pm

WISE is a community based organization established in 1992 which works
with the city of Ottawa, diverse communities and all individuals to
create safer physical and social environments in the city.

Info: call WISE (613) 230.6700 or check http://www.wiseottawa.ca

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==>  Riders' Calendar

Wed 1st June, 9:30am - Ottawa Transportation Committee, City Hall

Sat-Sun 4-5 June - Doors Open Ottawa

Mon 6th June, 4:30-8pm - North-South LRT Environmental Assessment
Open House, City Hall Rotunda (Lisgar/Elgin)

Tue 7th June, 4:30-8pm - North-South LRT Environmental Assessment
Open House, Rideauview Community Centre, 4310 Shoreline Dr

Tue 7th June, 8pm - WISE safety audit, Terry Fox station

Wed 8th June, all day - Clean Air Day - 2-for-1 transit: a rider
on STO or OC can bring another rider for free.

Wed 8th June, 4:30-8pm - North-South LRT Environmental Assessment
Open House, Walter Baker Sports Centre, 2nd floor Food Court,
100 Malvern Dr

Thu 9th June, 4:30-8pm - North-South LRT Environmental Assessment
Open House, Jim Durrell Sports Centre, Ellwood Hall, 1265 Walkley Rd

Thu 9th June, 5pm - WISE safety audit, Trim Road station

Wed 15th June, 9:30am - Ottawa Transportation Committee, City Hall

Wed 15th June, 8pm - WISE safety audit, Walkley station

Thu 16th June, 7pm - Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee,
City Hall.

Sun 26th June - OC Summer timetables begin

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==>  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

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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
its contents unaltered, and 2) don't "spam" with it.

Publication will normally be around the first day of each month (may vary
slightly due to holidays, production and other circumstances). There may be
special occasional bulletins beyond the base monthly frequency if news and
special circumstances warrant.

OTRA is an independent transit users group dedicated to supporting customers
of transit services, and improving the quality of transit service. Neither
OTRA nor OTB are directly associated with OC Transpo, or any other passenger
transportation carrier. Viewpoints and content of OTB articles may not
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For more information on OTB and OTRA:

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