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update on Trillium Line
The new Trillium line – the diesel train that will run from Bayview to the airport recently passed the first set of tests with flying colours.
Trillium rail line passes crucial test and could be weeks from opening Trillium rail line passes crucial test and could be weeks from opening | CBC News
Trillium Line passes trial run with 99.5 per cent score, Amilcar announces 'with humility and great joy' Trillium Line passes 14-day trial running | Ottawa Citizen
A second seven-day phase of trials began Monday afternoon, when the operator will practise 15 different situations such as what to do if there is a stalled train, a delay caused by problems opening or closing doors, or how to operate when the line is reduced to a single track.
Before the line opens for full passenger service, the city will also run two mock emergencies to help first responders prepare for the LRT, one at the Ottawa airport and one in the tunnel under Dow’s Lake.
"Transit for Tomorrow" Summit Oct 28th
Environmental Defence is hosting a summit in Ottawa on October 28th. Sally Thomas, a board member of Ottawa Transit Riders will speak about accessibility and public transit. For tickets, visit this link: Tickets to Summit Environmental Defence Canada
The summit welcomes all public transit advocates and allies, rider advocacy groups, transit riders and enthusiasts, environmentalists, federal, provincial, and municipal officials, mayors and city councillors, public transit agencies, associations, unions, the business community and other groups interested in better public transit and sustainable, equitable cities.
Results from Transit Forum in Barrhaven
On Tuesday, September 17, the Ottawa Transit Riders hosted a forum in Barrhaven. Local councillor Wilson Lo attended as did about a dozen residents.
Here is a copy of the report:
We asked participants what sort of improvements they would like to see and they offered the following suggestions.
- Improved infrastructure: Better connections between bike paths and transit stations and safer pedestrian infrastructure.
- Solutions to reduce travel times and congestion: An example raised by participants was the ability for buses to leapfrog traffic on the highway. It was also suggested that mini buses or shuttles that go to local grocery stores and shopping centers be considered to reduce congestion.
- Better planning: Participants expressed that OC Transpo needs to have a clear understanding of future demand to inform further changes to the system.
The Ottawa Transit Riders will host other events in other neighbourhoods throughout the year – where do you think we should go next?
Para Transpo Talk
All week, OC Transpo is inviting people to talk about Para Transpo. Here are the dates and locations:
Tuesday, October 22
9 to 11 am, Good Companions Seniors Centre, 670 Albert Street
12:45 to 2:15 pm, Partners in Parenting, 2405 St. Laurent Boulevard
2:30 to 4 pm, St-Laurent Station (Stop E)
Wednesday, October 23
9 to 10:30 am, Pinecrest Community Health Centre, 1365 Richmond Road
10:45 am to noon, Carlingwood Shopping Centre (near Lifemark), 2121 Carling Avenue
1 to 2:30 pm, Harmer House Outreach Adult Day Program, 100 Forestview Crescent
2:45 to 4:15 pm, Terry Fox Station (across from Stop 4C)
Thursday, October 24
9 to 10:15 am, John G Mlacak Community Centre, 2500 Campeau Drive
10:30 am to noon, Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills, 9-1 Brewer Hunt Way
1 to 2:30 pm, Fallowfield Station (Park & Ride, near Stop 2A)
3 to 5 pm, Ottawa City Hall (Lisgar St. entrance), 110 Laurier Avenue West
We recommend that people who use Para Transpo and those who care about accessibility swing by to take a look.
Toute la semaine, OC Transpo invite les gens à parler de Para Transpo. Voici les dates et les lieux :
Le mardi 22 octobre
De 9 h à 11 h, centre pour personnes âgées The Good Companions, 670, rue Albert
De 12 h 45 à 14 h 15, Partners in Parenting, 2405, boulevard St-Laurent
De 14 h 30 à 16 h, station St-Laurent (arrêt E)
Le mercredi 23 octobre
De 9 h à 10 h 30, Centre de santé communautaire Pinecrest, 1365, chemin Richmond
De 10 h 45 à midi, centre commercial Carlingwood, 2121, avenue Carling (près de la clinique Lifemark)
De 13 h à 14 h 30, Programme de sensibilisation de jour pour adultes à la résidence Harmer Hose, 100, croissant Forestview
De 14 h 45 à 16 h 15, station Terry Fox (en face de l’arrêt 4C)
Le jeudi 24 octobre
De 9 h à 10 h 15, Centre communautaire John-G.-Mlacak, 2500, promenade Campeau
De 10 h 30 à midi, Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills, 9-1, voie Brewer Hunt
De 13 h à 14 h 30, station Fallowfield (parc relais, près de l’arrêt 2A)
De 15 h à 17 h, hôtel de ville d’Ottawa, 110 avenue Laurier Ouest (entrée de la rue Lisgar)
Nous recommandons aux utilisateurs de Para Transpo et à ceux qui se soucient de l’accessibilité de passer y jeter un coup d’œil.
Sign this petition
The Ottawa Transit Riders is angry that the city is considering service cuts and fare increases. This is not how you support public transit. Not how to mitigate climate change. Not how to create a liveable city. Sign this petition to let the city know that you are angry. Pass it around to friends.
Transit Panel at Carleton U on Oct 10th
Calling all students … the Carleton University Students' Association is hosting a panel on transit on Thursday, October 10th at 5:30 PM. Panel members include Joel Harden (Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa Centre), Shawn Menard (City Councillor), plus representatives from Ottawa Transit Riders, Free Transit Ottawa, and Horizon Ottawa.
Come talk about problems and solutions.
There will be time for questions and an opportunity to mingle with panellists after the event.
The forum is being held in the Nideyinan (University Centre) Galleria.
Bank St Transit Forum on Sat at Sunnyside Library
Tomorrow, Saturday, September 28th, Free Transit Ottawa is hosting a Bank Street Transit Forum from 2:30 to 4:30 at the Sunnyside Public Library, 1049 Bank street in room 1A.
If you care about public transit, especially about the choices we make in neighbourhoods like the Glebe, join like-minded residents to chat about solutions.
Students feeling left behind
Does the city listen to students? Does the city care about students? Many students rely on public transit to get around the city. Many students use transit on so-called off-peak times since they don’t commute to a 9 to 5 job. Many students live on tight budgets.
The city recently cut the frequency of the LRT to every 10 minutes outside of office worker commute times.
This decision has a disproportionate effect on students.
At the Transit Commission meeting on Thursday, September 12th, delegate after delegate spoke up about how the cuts are affecting their lives. Many people begged the Commission to reconsider transit cuts.
Delphine Robitaille, the University of Ottawa’s Student Union (UOSU) president, was especially blunt warning city councillors that their reductions to service would put the $19 million U-Pass deal that OC Transpo has with universities at risk.
OC Transpo faces student backlash at public transit commission
Students getting bad deal from OC Transpo, transit commission hears
Despite the turn-out from local residents, city councillors voted to continue reducing transit service in Ottawa. As per usual, there was a familiar split with progressive pro-transit councillors voting one way and the rest of city council voting the other.
10-minute headways on off-peak LRT service will be maintained as OC Transpo studies fall ridership
The Ottawa Transit Riders continue to be sad at the direction of this city council. We encourage residents to speak up despite the discouraging results. Consider emailing your own councillor and the ones who vote against transit to explain why public transit is so important.
Barrhaven forum Sept 17th
The Ottawa Transit Riders invite people to join us on Tuesday, September 17th at 7PM for a forum in Barrhaven (30 Wessex).
Come and join us to talk about transit - this event is FREE and we offer coffee, tea, and cookies. Councillors have been invited. We plan to ask about local routes and potential solutions.
Further details can be found on Eventbrite.
Please spread the word.