Transit is good for us
I know that I am “preaching to the converted” when I argue that urban density and high quality public transit are good for us, but here are some articles supporting this argument.
This is an article about Vancouver, but the lessons apply to Ottawa as well. Sprawl is expensive, we would do well to advocate for greater density and mixed neighbourhoods with services and employment and housing.
For example, Paris is far more dense than Vancouver (20,000 residents per square-kilometre, compared to Vancouver’s 5,790), thanks to multi-unit housing mixed with businesses.
Here’s another article arguing for upper levels of government to support public transit.
The case for investment in Ontario’s public transit systems (thespec.com)
This article notes that good public transit reduces smog and air pollution. People who live in communities with good transit drive about half as much as people in car-centric places.
Households save money with transit (cars are expensive to buy and maintain).
Transit reduces car accidents.
Transit provides good jobs; it also allows essential workers to get to and from work.
The case for investing in public transit is strong – the challenge is getting upper levels of government to pay for it. Politicians like ribbon-cutting – governments are often happy to invest in capital costs of building new trains, but what municipalities really need is support for the operational costs of running a transit system.
Your councillors will soon be presenting the draft budget for 2024. Take the time to communicate with them and let them know that you value public transit and want councillors to vote for a realistic budget.
ParaTranspo event at City Hall Sept 25th
What do you know about ParaTranspo, the reservation-only bus service for Ottawa residents with a disability?
Unless you, or someone you love rides ParaTranspo, you might be surprised by some of the challenges.
Did you know that people who use ParaTranspo have to book their rides at least 24 hours in advance? That means no spontaneous drinks with friends; no taking advantage of last-minute tickets to an event …
Did you know that if you cancel a booking, you may have to justify your decision?
Did you know that there is a limit on how many rides a person can take on ParaTranspo per day? That means that if you go to a medical appointment and then to the grocery store, you might not be allowed to book a visit to a friend on the same day.
The Ottawa Transit Riders is hosting an event at City Hall on Monday, September 25th for city councillors to meet with ParaTranspo riders and learn some details about the service.
We want people to listen to riders like Ryan who writes for Ottawa Life: An Opportunity For Para Transpo Users To Be Heard
All city councillors, the mayor, and Renée Amilcar, the general manager of transit services have been invited to this presentation and roundtable discussion.
If you ride ParaTranspo and want to attend, please click on this link: ParaTranspo Awareness 2023 / événement de sensibilisation à ParaTranspo 2023. Whether you attend or not, we want to hear from you. Email [email protected] to share your story.
Ottawa Transit Riders at Lansdowne Market Aug 6
You might like to know that members of Ottawa Transit Riders will be staffing a table at the Lansdowne Market on Sunday, August 6th.
Come by and say “Hi!”
Vous aimeriez peut-être savoir que des membres du groupe des usagers de transport en commun d'Ottawa tiendront une table au marché de Lansdowne le dimanche 6 août.
Venez nous rendre visite et dire « Bonjour ! »
So what's the plan?
We’re all tired of the mess that is the LRT. What’s next? Social media is abuzz with people discussing the root causes and offering possible solutions.
- Curves too sharp?
- Tracks not the right size for the trains?
- Choice to purchase light rail when we really need a heavier, more durable subway-like train?
But we’re basically in this mess because non experts made decisions about transit without fully understanding what works.
The Ottawa Transit Riders proposes that the city hire an expert, unaffiliated with the previous regime, who can provide us with detailed options (and costs) so that residents of this city, who will have to pay to fix the LRT and who ride transit, can debate the options in an open forum.
Enough with the armchair quarterbacking – let’s hear from people who know what they are talking about.
Ottawa has "idle" ParaTranspo buses ... really?
Ottawa is going to experiment with on-demand transit – a shared-ride system that allows riders to “book” a small bus using an app. It seeks to combine the convenience of taxi/Uber with the cost savings of a bus. About 20 communities across Canada have tested a form of on-demand transit since 2015.
The Ottawa Transit Riders is surprised to hear that OC Transpo is planning to use “idle” Para buses for this pilot project.
Actually, we are shocked that OC Transpo has unused Para buses since Para customers have been complaining for years about lack of capacity. The current fleet is old and in poor condition, sometimes causing cancellations and delays when they break down.
It seems impossible that an on-demand service could use Para buses without adversely affecting the service used by current customers.
Community Groups Concerned Over Proposal to Remove Para Buses for On-Demand Transit - Horizon Ottawa
Riders who use the accessible transit system describe the proposal as a “kick in the teeth” to people with disabilities who have been advocating for on-demand, same-day service for years. Why is this being rolled out now for able-bodied customers when it has been denied to customers of ParaTranspo for so long?
Orleans Climate Resiliency Dialogue June 9th
Are you coughing from all the smoke blowing down from wildfires in Quebec?
Climate change is scary.
It’s a perfect time to discuss how Ottawa can build resilience and prepare for climate disasters.
CAFES Ottawa (Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability) and the Greater Avalon Community Association are inviting participants for a Community Dialogue on Climate Resiliency in Orleans on Friday June 9th at 6:30 PM.
For details click on the Eventbrite invitation
Toussez-vous à cause de la fumée qui s'échappe des incendies de forêt au Québec ?
Les changements climatiques sont effrayants.
C'est le moment idéal pour discuter de la façon dont Ottawa peut renforcer sa résilience et se préparer aux catastrophes climatiques.
CAFES Ottawa (Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability) et l’Association communautaire du Grand Avalon invitent les participants à un dialogue communautaire sur la résilience climatique à Orléans, le vendredi 9 juin à 18 h 30.
Pour plus de détails, cliquez sur l'invitation Eventbrite
ParaTranspo challenges at Carleton University
The list of frustrations that people who use ParaTranspo deal with is long.
But here is a small problem that can and should be fixed.
When people are booking rides to Carleton University, they are asked to specify which BUILDING they are going to from a drop-down menu. Seems simple enough … but, the drop down menu for dispatch indicates STOP NUMBERS.
This means that mistakes are common.
On Saturday, June 3rd, Carleton University hosted the Ottawa Inclusive & Para Sports Expo as part of National AccessAbility Week (NAAW). This event is one of the largest inclusive sporting expos in Ottawa, and an event which would naturally draw a large number of ParaTranspo users.
A number of people struggled to find their bus stop; a number of drivers ended up at the wrong bus stop. Drivers had to return to find their customers. Resources were wasted. People were left stranded on a hot summer’s day.
The lack of coordination and accommodation by OC Transpo has once again relegated ParaTranspo users as an afterthought when it comes to public transit in Ottawa. More egregiously, it comes during a week when the City of Ottawa was promoting National AccessAbility Week.
We ask the Transit Commission to urge OC Transpo to work with program developers to ensure that the menu for ParaTranspo customers matches the menus used by the dispatch system.
This is Ottawa - the capital city of a G7 nation in 2023 - surely we can get something so simple right.
Enough is Enough! Major's Hill on Saturday June 3rd
Just letting you know that members of Ottawa Transit Riders will be staffing a table at the Ontario Federation of Labour’s Day of Action “Enough is Enough!” on Major’s Hill Park on Saturday, June 3rd.
Click here for more details.
Come by and say “Hi!”
Juste un petit rappel que des membres du groupe des usagers de transport en commun d'Ottawa tiendront une table à la journée d’action « assez, c’est assez » organisé par la Fédération du travail de l’Ontario samedi, le 3 juin. L’événement sera dans le parc Major’s Hill.
Cliquez ici pour plus de détails
Venez nous rendre visite et dire « Bonjour ! »
Practice Rack-n-roll at Tunney’s Pasture
OC Transpo buses have bike racks that allow people to ride their bikes in one direction or part-way and take transit the rest of the way. It’s a model that encourages active transportation and provides choice.
Are you curious about trying these bike racks, but unsure how to load/unload your bike?
OC Transpo offers a practice rack where you can test it out.
Right now, the practice bike rack is located at Tunney's Pasture Station, on the right side of the Scott Street entrance.
For more details, check out the OC Transpo website
Tous les autobus d’OC Transpo seront équipés d’un support pour bicyclettes qui permettra aux cyclistes de continuer à faire un bout en autobus, et le reste à vélo. C'est un modèle qui encourage le transport actif et offre un choix.
Vous êtes curieux d'essayer ces supports pour vélos, mais vous ne savez pas comment charger/décharger votre vélo ?
OC Transpo met une unité les aide à apprendre sans pression.
Pour l'instant, le support Vélo-bus pour apprentissage situé à la station Tunney's Pasture, à droite de l'entrée de la rue Scott.
Pour plus de détails, consultez le site Web d'OC Transpo.
Route Review City Hall June 1st
As you may have heard, OC Transpo is conducting a review of routes. This is a great opportunity for people who care about transit to have our voices heard. Attend the sessions if you can and tell OC Transpo what you want to see in a truly world-class transit system.
The next session is Thursday, June 1st at City Hall from 6:30-8:30. Click here for details and to register.
Comme vous l'avez peut-être entendu, OC Transpo procède à un examen des circuits d’autobus. C'est une excellente occasion pour les personnes qui s'intéressent aux transports en commun de faire entendre leur voix. Assistez aux séances si vous le pouvez et dites à OC Transpo ce que vous attendez d'un système de transport en commun de classe mondiale.
La prochaine séance aura lieu le jeudi 1er juin à l'hôtel de ville, de 18 h 30 à 20 h 30. Cliquez sur le lien pour plus de détails et pour vous inscrire.
