Latest news with #NewWaystoBus
Ottawa Citizen
3 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Renée Amilcar resigning as OC Transpo general manager as of July 18
OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar will be leaving the transit authority on July 18 after more than three years in the position. Article content In a memo Tuesday afternoon, City Manager Wendy Stephanson said Amilcar had led OC Transpo 'through a period of significant operational transformation, modernization and service improvement' since joining the organization in 2021. Article content Article content Article content Troy Charter, director of transit service and rail operations for the City of Ottawa, will serve as interim general manager after Amilcar leaves, the memo added. Article content 'On behalf of the senior leadership team, I want to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Renée for her contributions and wish her continued success in her future endeavours,' Stephanson wrote. Article content 'I recognize that ensuring strong, stable leadership during this time is of paramount importance — particularly as we continue to deliver safe, reliable transit service to residents while advancing major city-wide transformational projects.' Article content The announcement of Amilcar's departure came a little more than a month after OC Transpo's 'New Ways To Bus' initiative was met with sharp criticism from transit users and advocates. Previously, she told reporters that the sweeping changes were designed to improve connectivity to community hubs and to provide 'a sustainable network that meets the evolving needs of our customers.' Article content Article content But the community group Ottawa Transit Riders had previously said that their voices and opinions were not heard. Transit users have also said they lost trust in the public transportation agency, especially because service could be very unreliable. Article content Members of ATU Local 279, a union representing OC Transpo operators, called for a 'serious, honest review of Ottawa's transit system' last Friday. Union president Noah Vineberg previously told reporters that riders were frustrated at the city's transit system and that operators were overworked and exhausted. Article content 'For years we've heard promises of New Ways to Bus — promises of innovation, better service, and a transit future we could believe in,' Vineberg said. 'But we lived through unrealistic schedules and a system spiralling deeper into dysfunction for both riders and workers.'
Ottawa Citizen
30-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Transit union claims petition 'ignored' at Ottawa city council
Members of the union representing OC Transpo operators say they were 'met with silence' at Wednesday's city council meeting after showing up in numbers with a petition demanding higher wages and better working conditions. Article content Article content 'Despite arriving early and submitting a formal petition — listed on the official agenda — Ottawa City Council essentially ignored it, an action that bypasses the voices of front-line transit workers and undermines democratic participation,' according to a statement from ATU Local 279 president Noah Vineberg. Article content Article content The union, which signed a five-year contract in June 2020, submitted a petition containing 1,836 signatures at the May 28 council session outlining their requests for ongoing contract negotiations. Article content Article content OC Transpo's 'New Ways to Bus' schedule, which has been met with criticism from some riders since it rolled out with redesigned routes in April, 'reinforces the chaos' of the transit system, Vineberg said. Article content 'For years we've heard promises of New Ways to Bus — promises of innovation, better service, and a transit future we could believe in,' Vineberg said. 'But we lived through unrealistic schedules and a system spiralling deeper into dysfunction for both riders and workers.' Article content Riders are 'frustrated' and operators are 'exhausted,' Vineberg said. Article content The ATU is calling for 'a serious, honest review of Ottawa's transit system — one that truly listens to both riders and workers.' Article content Article content OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar responded Thursday by saying the transit authority 'is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive workplace that values and encourages employee feedback. Article content Article content 'We continue to meet regularly with our union partners to discuss employee feedback as part of the ongoing collective bargaining agreement process. We remain focused on supporting one another in finding a shared path forward as we continue to keep Ottawa moving.' Article content City Clerk Caitlin Salter-MacDonald said the ATU's petition was not ignored and followed the usual procedures for petitions presented to council. Article content 'The petition in question was presented to council in compliance with the Policy and the Procedure By-law and placed on the May 28 council agenda under agenda item 7 — communications.'
Ottawa Citizen
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Today's letters: OC Transpo's 'New Ways to Bus' isolates seniors
Article content OC Transpo has an obligation to support seniors Article content I read Bruce Deachman's article with a sense of familiarity. My family is also experiencing the negative impacts of 'New Ways to Bus.' Article content My parents live near Merivale Mall in Nepean. My mom (in her 70s) recently had to stop driving for medical reasons. My dad, who is 80 and has stage 4 cancer, still drives, but doesn't always feel up to leaving the house. My mom needs her own ways to get around without relying on my dad. Article content Article content My mom stopped driving a couple of months before 'New Ways to Bus.' She began taking the bus again on her own, after not taking it much during the pandemic. She was able to take one bus route from her house to Tunney's Pasture in about 20 minutes, then switch to the LRT to get downtown to meet friends for lunch or go shopping. She could also use that same route to visit shops on Wellington Street West. She enjoyed the ease and freedom of being able to get around without her car. Article content Now, the routes near my parents' house have all drastically changed and do not in the least resemble the variations that remained more or less constant over the previous 40 years. There is only one route serving their nearest local bus stop, and it goes to Billings Bridge, not Tunney's Pasture. Google Maps says her route to get downtown would now involve either two buses and the LRT or two very local buses. Otherwise, she can walk 10 minutes to reach the nearest bus that goes to Tunney's Pasture. In either case, her total time to get downtown would likely be 50 minutes to an hour, instead of the previous 30-to-40 minutes. (The drive downtown is about 20 minutes.) Article content Article content While the issue raised in the column is clearly more drastic and more disastrous to our local economy, the effects these changes have on seniors such as my mom also warrant attention. There have been countless alarms raised about the epidemic of loneliness among seniors and the importance of empowering them to remain independent as long as possible. Ensuring they can easily use transit to get around when they cannot drive is an essential service that our city must provide to those who have contributed to our community for decades. 'New Ways to Bus' seems to be creating 'New Ways to Isolate Seniors' instead of making it easier for them to get around the city. Article content
Ottawa Citizen
01-05-2025
- Ottawa Citizen
OC Transpo offers free-fare weekend as it rolls out route overhaul
OC Transpo is welcoming feedback from riders as it offers a free weekend on all buses and trains on May 3 and 4, while it continues to work out some 'glitches' after rolling out a major overhaul of its bus routes. Article content Article content 'It's a way to say a huge thank you for your patience, because we have been working hard to improve the service, and it was tough on (the) customers,' said transit service general manager Renée Amilcar in a press conference Thursday at Bayview Station. Article content Article content Amilcar said the free-fare weekend is 'not as much' about compensating riders for frustrating delays and disruptions. 'It's a way to say, this is the new OC Transpo, come and try it, and I'm sure you will love it,' she said. Article content Article content Amilcar acknowledged staff are working out some 'glitches' with the 'New Ways to Bus' launch, and OC Transpo has already heard from some riders who are upset over the large-scale bus route changes that came into effect April 27. Article content 'First and foremost, we have heard a lot of complaints (over the years) about the reliability — or non-reliability — and we have spent a lot of money, billions of dollars, to build transit here with the LRT,' Amilcar said. Article content 'Now, we're bringing the buses to the LRT because the LRT doesn't need to deal with traffic. And the service is now reliable, so we know exactly what time (the trains) will come and what time it will be at your destination,' she said. 'It's a change, definitely, and it's hard to accept changes, but (the overhaul is) a good thing and when people use it, I'm sure they will love it.' Article content Article content Amilcar rated the new bus route launch as 'so far, so good.' Article content 'Absolutely we have anticipated some glitches, and we have to deal with those glitches,' she said. Amilcar encouraged riders to contribute their comments and feedback through OC Transpo's website. Article content 'We will continue to improve the service, we will continue to listen to our customers and we'll do our best… we are open to any kind of comments that can help us to improve the service,' she said. Article content The free-fare weekend will cost OC Transpo about $285,000. Article content 'For me, it's an investment. Because we have worked very hard to improve the system, we stabilized Line 1 (over the) months and years, we successfully launched Lines 2 and 4 and we implemented New Ways to Bus last Sunday… It's an investment, but it's a good use of taxpayer money, I would say,' Amilcar said. Article content She was asked on Thursday why the free fares were limited to one weekend — when service is running on a reduced weekend schedule — instead of the free month OC Transpo offered in December 2021 as an apology for disruptions in train service during that summer.
CBC
27-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Dalhousie Street businesses blindsided by parking removal
Business owners on Dalhousie Street in the ByWard Market are speaking out against the sudden removal of street parking next to their businesses as OC Transpo adds a turning lane to ease traffic congestion. Jean-Philippe Gorley, who owns Opulence Coffee on Dalhousie Street, said he suddenly noticed street signs were being changed on Thursday. He says the removal of parking spots there will have an impact on his cafe. "People are not going to park two to three blocks away for these quick in and outs ... it's completely ridiculous," he told Radio-Canada. Lise Lauzon, the owner of the building, said she worries for tenants who rely on those parking spots, and says the city should have left the street as it was. "That's unbelievable that they remove parking in front of [Brisson] Pharmacy, and it's a no stopping on top of that," she said. "So that means even if you have a handicap permit, you can't even stop." OC Transpo said in a statement that it is in the process of updating on-street parking signs and pavement markings on Dalhousie Street, and that the work will be completed before the implementation of its "New Ways to Bus" initiative takes effect on April 27. The service added that it has delegated authority to make changes to parking arrangements in consultation with the Ward Councillor. "We understand that New Ways to Bus will mean changes for residents and businesses, and we thank them for their patience as everyone adjusts to the new bus network over the coming weeks," the service said in a French statement. Councillor, business authority, informed in March A presentation prepared by OC Transpo said the current street layout of a single southbound lane on Dalhousie Street between St. Patrick Street and Murray Street results in queuing and delays to transit. For this reason, it is adding a left turn lane. It is also increasing trip volumes for routes that use Dalhousie Street as part of its bus route revamp. The presentation said nine on-street parking spots were being removed on Dalhousie Street, including six between St. Patrick and Murray Street. It estimated these changes would save bus riders one to two minutes per trip during peak hours. In March, the service presented the changes to both Rideau-Vanier Coun. Stéphanie Plante and to the ByWard Market District Authority. In a statement, Zachary Dayler, executive director of the authority, said he was informed by OC Transpo about upcoming changes to the street, but "additional modifications beyond road markings were not clearly communicated or widely understood." "The loss of on-street parking affects both merchants and visitors, impacting the district's accessibility. As an organization dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience, we strive to maintain accessibility to the area — whether by car or transit," Dayler said. Plante said in March she had asked OC Transpo to communicate door-to-door regarding the change, but that didn't happen. She added that she agrees with OC Transpo's attempt to address street congestion, but said it should have been communicated more clearly — especially to business owners. "I know they're not happy and I don't blame them, but we do have to understand that there are a lot of issues at play here," she said.
