The union representing OC Transpo bus drivers and mechanics warns the transit service is "driving people away" from public transit, as it cancels hundreds of bus trips a day due to a maintenance backlog and traffic congestion. The Amalgamation Transit Union is calling on OC Transpo to attract new staff and for all levels of government to invest in public transit to help boost ridership, as OC Transpo faces a $25 million deficit in 2024 and a projected $120 million deficit in 2025. Statistics provided to CTV News Ottawa show OC Transpo cancelled 1,877 bus trips between Oct.
21 and Oct. 28, including over 250 bus trips a day on weekdays. OC Transpo says it is working to implement "long-term solutions" to increase the fleet through the bus maintenance action and recruiting additional mechanics.
"We have ample drivers at this point; we finally hired enough drivers to supply the chain. Our mechanics are working crazy amounts of overtime and unbelievable dedication to get these fleets out on the road when they can," Noah Vineberg, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279, tells Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Kristy Cameron. "But the reality is these are old buses, some of them should have been decommissioned a long time ago.
" Some of OC Transpo's articulated buses are older than 15 years old, and OC Transpo is looking at buying used and new diesel buses to deal with a backlog in the delivery of new electric buses. Vineberg says OC Transpo needs to attract new s.
