OC Transpo celebrates O-Train 10th anniversary

Ottawa – The O-Train just turned ten and to celebrate this important milestone, customers were greeted this morning by Mayor Jim Watson, Transit Commission Chair, Councillor Diane Deans, and OC Transpo staff at the Greenboro station.

“The O-Train is an essential component of the city’s transportation network in terms of popularity and reliability,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “That is why Council has decided to make the investment necessary to expand the service years ahead of schedule.”

In September 2011, OC Transpo announced that it has reached an agreement with train supplier Alstom to purchase six new trains that will begin O-Train service in early 2014. The expanded O-Train service will offer eight-minute intervals between trains, an improvement to the current 15 minute intervals. It will attract new riders and provide customers travelling from Bayview to South Keys with more frequent and reliable rail service.

“I would like to thank the riders who have enthusiastically endorsed the O-Train since its introduction,” said Chair Deans. “I would also like to thank all OC Transpo employees who have worked tirelessly for the past 10 years on the O-Train service as well as our industry partners who maintain the trains and rails.”

The O-Train was introduced as a pilot project in October 2001 and was Ottawa’s first modern experience with rail transit. The initial ridership target was between 5,100 and 6,400 customer-trips per day. These targets have more than doubled in the years since it was introduced, with ridership has now reaching more than 12,000 customer-trips per day due to outstanding reliability and the convenience of good connections for students and commuters whether on foot, bicycle or connecting by bus.

OC Transpo celebrated the one millionth O-Train rider in 2002, the five millionth rider in 2005 and as September 30th, 2011, more than 18 million passengers have boarded the O-Train.

In 2010, the three trains of the O-Train surpassed the million kilometre mark and OC Transpo is continuously upgrading the O-Train’s infrastructure so it can continue to provide the quality service passengers deserve and expect.

“The popularity of the service is attributed to the very high reliability of the rail system, quiet and comfortable trains for customers and an outstanding safety record,” said OC Transpo General Manager Alain Mercier.

The 8-km O-Train line runs from Greenboro station, in the city’s south-end, to Bayview station near Lebreton Flats where it connects riders with the Transitway. It takes roughly 12 minutes to get from one end of the route to the other.

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For a comment from the Mayor: