Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
@freetransitottawa.bsky.social
Free Transit Ottawa is fighting to make Ottawa's transit system free, reliable, and accessible for a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
https://freetransitottawa.ca
https://freetransitottawa.ca
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Plante roughly saying 'everyone's in the same boat with Transit having trouble' and that she couldn't find any cities that are successfully recovering.
15 second Google.
globalnews.ca/news/9477981...
15 second Google.
globalnews.ca/news/9477981...
Bus ridership on Edmonton Transit returns to pre-pandemic levels: city - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca
Edmonton bus ridership reached 100 per cent of 2019 pre-pandemic levels in January 2023, averaging 1.2 million rides per week, the city said.
globalnews.ca
November 24, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Plante roughly saying 'everyone's in the same boat with Transit having trouble' and that she couldn't find any cities that are successfully recovering.
15 second Google.
globalnews.ca/news/9477981...
15 second Google.
globalnews.ca/news/9477981...
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Cars Cars as far as the eye can see. We could replace pretty much every vehicle in this picture with two more buses.
November 22, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Cars Cars as far as the eye can see. We could replace pretty much every vehicle in this picture with two more buses.
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
The 2026 draft Ottawa budget announces further delays to the Carling bus lane project, estimating the completion time for a bus lane project at 2035. This project was started in 2016 with designs released in 2017, which would make this be a 19 year long project just to install interim bus lanes.
November 13, 2025 at 1:38 AM
The 2026 draft Ottawa budget announces further delays to the Carling bus lane project, estimating the completion time for a bus lane project at 2035. This project was started in 2016 with designs released in 2017, which would make this be a 19 year long project just to install interim bus lanes.
"Ridership has surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 18%. Bus drivers say they’re navigating less congested streets. People drove 1.8 million fewer miles and emissions dropped by 24,000 metric tons a year - the equivalent of taking 5,200 vehicles off the roads."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...
Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, and So Did the Air.
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:29 PM
"Ridership has surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 18%. Bus drivers say they’re navigating less congested streets. People drove 1.8 million fewer miles and emissions dropped by 24,000 metric tons a year - the equivalent of taking 5,200 vehicles off the roads."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...
When transit sucks, many parents and seniors need to own a car -- maybe even two. This costs a household about $16,000 a year. Failing to invest in transit is a huge financial burden on everyone.
Even worse, the city scrapped the Youth Pass and raised the senior bus fare last year.
Even worse, the city scrapped the Youth Pass and raised the senior bus fare last year.
Two-parent families, seniors increasingly turning to Ottawa Food Bank: report
Two-parent families, seniors increasingly turning to Ottawa Food Bank: report
The Ottawa Food Bank’s eighth annual Hunger Report says broken social systems are leading more people, including seniors and two-parent families, to turn to them for food.
bit.ly
November 14, 2025 at 7:42 PM
When transit sucks, many parents and seniors need to own a car -- maybe even two. This costs a household about $16,000 a year. Failing to invest in transit is a huge financial burden on everyone.
Even worse, the city scrapped the Youth Pass and raised the senior bus fare last year.
Even worse, the city scrapped the Youth Pass and raised the senior bus fare last year.
Mayor conflates low taxes with "affordability." But when public services like transit remain unusable for most people, that becomes incredibly expensive. Saddling people with car payments, Uber/Lyft costs, air pollution and climate change is not affordable.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Ottawa taxpayers facing 3.75 per cent property tax hike, 2.5 per cent OC Transpo fare increase in 2026
Ottawa taxpayers are facing a 3.75 per cent property tax increase for City of Ottawa services next year, as well as higher user fees for transit, recreation and water services.
www.ctvnews.ca
November 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Mayor conflates low taxes with "affordability." But when public services like transit remain unusable for most people, that becomes incredibly expensive. Saddling people with car payments, Uber/Lyft costs, air pollution and climate change is not affordable.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
"Quite simply, Brampton provides service that is good enough to make getting around by transit reasonable for people who have other options as well as for people with no other choice."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
How Did This Suburb Figure Out Mass Transit?
Transit ridership is off the charts in Brampton, Ontario, despite its typical low-density suburban layout. Here’s how the city got residents to get on the bus.
www.bloomberg.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
"Quite simply, Brampton provides service that is good enough to make getting around by transit reasonable for people who have other options as well as for people with no other choice."
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
With all of the talk about Lansdowne 2.0, and improving transit access to the location, this is the perfect opportunity to get fully dedicated 24/7 bus lanes, not just during "peak" hours.
Delays for buses are almost constant throughout the day.
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/11/08/a...
#Ottawa #Bank
Delays for buses are almost constant throughout the day.
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/11/08/a...
#Ottawa #Bank
November 8, 2025 at 4:50 PM
With all of the talk about Lansdowne 2.0, and improving transit access to the location, this is the perfect opportunity to get fully dedicated 24/7 bus lanes, not just during "peak" hours.
Delays for buses are almost constant throughout the day.
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/11/08/a...
#Ottawa #Bank
Delays for buses are almost constant throughout the day.
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/11/08/a...
#Ottawa #Bank
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Ford’s new “Fighting Delays” bill would ban new bike lanes and let the province block anything that “interferes” with cars including bus lanes and safety projects.
This is a war on bikes, transit, and local democracy.
Send an email to Ford and your MPP: www.horizonottawa.ca/back_off_ford
This is a war on bikes, transit, and local democracy.
Send an email to Ford and your MPP: www.horizonottawa.ca/back_off_ford
Tell Ford to Back Off Our Bike and Bus Lanes!
www.horizonottawa.ca
October 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Ford’s new “Fighting Delays” bill would ban new bike lanes and let the province block anything that “interferes” with cars including bus lanes and safety projects.
This is a war on bikes, transit, and local democracy.
Send an email to Ford and your MPP: www.horizonottawa.ca/back_off_ford
This is a war on bikes, transit, and local democracy.
Send an email to Ford and your MPP: www.horizonottawa.ca/back_off_ford
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Green councillors in Glasgow have secured a pilot scheme for free public transport! 🙌
In 2022 we delivered free bus travel for under 22s. It's reduced climate emissions and congestion, and increased mobility and the money in people's pockets.
In 2022 we delivered free bus travel for under 22s. It's reduced climate emissions and congestion, and increased mobility and the money in people's pockets.
Free public transport pilot scheme announced for major Scottish city
A FREE public transport trial is to take place in a major Scottish city early next year
www.thenational.scot
October 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Green councillors in Glasgow have secured a pilot scheme for free public transport! 🙌
In 2022 we delivered free bus travel for under 22s. It's reduced climate emissions and congestion, and increased mobility and the money in people's pockets.
In 2022 we delivered free bus travel for under 22s. It's reduced climate emissions and congestion, and increased mobility and the money in people's pockets.
Normalize submitting Uber/Lyft receipts to OC Transpo when the bus doesn't show up.
October 31, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Normalize submitting Uber/Lyft receipts to OC Transpo when the bus doesn't show up.
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
There's lots to mull in this Citizen article exploring 417 congestion. All is not hopeless but there are challenges. Transit is the key to quicker commutes. Restoring and then improving transit will help speed everyone along.
Why is traffic so bad on Highway 417 in Ottawa?
Here's everything you need to know about how construction, unreliable transit, and returning to the office have made getting to work worse.
ottawacitizen.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:27 AM
There's lots to mull in this Citizen article exploring 417 congestion. All is not hopeless but there are challenges. Transit is the key to quicker commutes. Restoring and then improving transit will help speed everyone along.
Time savings estimate along one NYC bus route before and after implementation of bus lanes, signal priority, and free fares / fare zones.
"In an ideal world, all these investments could cut about 40 percent off the time of a trip."
"In an ideal world, all these investments could cut about 40 percent off the time of a trip."
October 28, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Time savings estimate along one NYC bus route before and after implementation of bus lanes, signal priority, and free fares / fare zones.
"In an ideal world, all these investments could cut about 40 percent off the time of a trip."
"In an ideal world, all these investments could cut about 40 percent off the time of a trip."
Several bus routes use Merivale Road, including routes 80, 53, 189, 117 and 187. Painting two outer lanes red can cut trip times in half during peak traffic, making transit faster, more reliable and enabling ridership.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Ottawa eyes bus-only lanes on Merivale Road
A report for the public works and infrastructure committee meeting on Thursday recommends councillors approve the statement of work for the environmental assessment study to place bus lanes on Merival...
www.ctvnews.ca
October 27, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Several bus routes use Merivale Road, including routes 80, 53, 189, 117 and 187. Painting two outer lanes red can cut trip times in half during peak traffic, making transit faster, more reliable and enabling ridership.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Spoke with the Centretown Buzz about the (not so great) proposal for bus lanes on Bank Street, and the need to put people before parking.
centretownbuzz.ca/2025/10/be-b...
centretownbuzz.ca/2025/10/be-b...
“Be bold!” Crowd asks city to improve bus lane proposal for Bank Street – Centretown BUZZ
centretownbuzz.ca
October 19, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Spoke with the Centretown Buzz about the (not so great) proposal for bus lanes on Bank Street, and the need to put people before parking.
centretownbuzz.ca/2025/10/be-b...
centretownbuzz.ca/2025/10/be-b...
Free coffee is nice and all, but let's get serious: proper dedicated bus lanes on Bank St could bring three times more people per hour to the area than mixed traffic does. Street parking will never provide these kinds of benefits for local shops.
obj.ca/glebe-bia-br...
obj.ca/glebe-bia-br...
Glebe BIA brews up innovative way of increasing foot traffic to area businesses
Lucky coffee lovers may get their morning cup for free this month as the Glebe BIA covers the cost as a way to promote local cafés.
obj.ca
October 7, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Free coffee is nice and all, but let's get serious: proper dedicated bus lanes on Bank St could bring three times more people per hour to the area than mixed traffic does. Street parking will never provide these kinds of benefits for local shops.
obj.ca/glebe-bia-br...
obj.ca/glebe-bia-br...
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
How do you move 1000 people into a city centre? 1 train, 20 buses or 650 personal vehicles (with a LOT of parking required!) HT @davidloisuned.bsky.social for the Spanish translation of one of my favourite graphics originally from Sydney. #CityMakingMath
September 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
How do you move 1000 people into a city centre? 1 train, 20 buses or 650 personal vehicles (with a LOT of parking required!) HT @davidloisuned.bsky.social for the Spanish translation of one of my favourite graphics originally from Sydney. #CityMakingMath
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
Another reminder that the city is doing an open house TOMORROW about bus lanes on Bank Street.
It will be at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
Come help support 24/7 bus lanes on Bank! Info at the link below.
engage.ottawa.ca/bank-street-...
It will be at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
Come help support 24/7 bus lanes on Bank! Info at the link below.
engage.ottawa.ca/bank-street-...
September 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Another reminder that the city is doing an open house TOMORROW about bus lanes on Bank Street.
It will be at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
Come help support 24/7 bus lanes on Bank! Info at the link below.
engage.ottawa.ca/bank-street-...
It will be at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
Come help support 24/7 bus lanes on Bank! Info at the link below.
engage.ottawa.ca/bank-street-...
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
It can't be stressed enough: this kind of city is MORE accessible, with MORE choices for everyone. Reducing the number of cars driven by people who don't need to drive leaves more space for mobility vehicles and reduces journey times. Cars are expensive!
“Air pollution fell substantially as Paris restricted car traffic and made way for parks, people-streets and bike-lanes.”
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability & quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Better for the climate, better for health, better for livability & quality of life.
Common sense.
Such a no-brainer, it’s remarkable that more cities HAVEN’T done the same.
Paris said au revoir to cars. Air pollution maps reveal a dramatic change.
Air pollution fell substantially as the city restricted car traffic and made way for parks and bike lanes.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
It can't be stressed enough: this kind of city is MORE accessible, with MORE choices for everyone. Reducing the number of cars driven by people who don't need to drive leaves more space for mobility vehicles and reduces journey times. Cars are expensive!
"When transit is underfunded, it affects housing development, traffic congestion, affordability, and even job access [...] even if you don't personally take the train or bus, you still benefit from public transit."
In this video, we cover the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s call for long-term federal investment in transit and highlight what underfunding looks like on the ground in Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto.
youtu.be/UKvP_-Br8Iw
youtu.be/UKvP_-Br8Iw
Public Transit: Why Federal Funding Matters for Every Canadian
YouTube video by Rail Fans Canada
youtu.be
September 22, 2025 at 5:03 PM
"When transit is underfunded, it affects housing development, traffic congestion, affordability, and even job access [...] even if you don't personally take the train or bus, you still benefit from public transit."
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
The next three 7s are cancelled at the start of evening rush. This is an every day occurrence due to the lack of working buses to run the schedule we need.
OC Transpo needs to order more buses to replace the over 15 year old fleet and hire enough mechanics to get the existing buses in service.
OC Transpo needs to order more buses to replace the over 15 year old fleet and hire enough mechanics to get the existing buses in service.
September 17, 2025 at 9:12 PM
The next three 7s are cancelled at the start of evening rush. This is an every day occurrence due to the lack of working buses to run the schedule we need.
OC Transpo needs to order more buses to replace the over 15 year old fleet and hire enough mechanics to get the existing buses in service.
OC Transpo needs to order more buses to replace the over 15 year old fleet and hire enough mechanics to get the existing buses in service.
Reposted by Free Transit Ottawa 🇨🇦
You’re invited to an open house about the Bank Street Active Transportation and Transit Priority Feasibility Study on Wednesday, September 24 at 7pm at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/46bquXL
Learn more: https://bit.ly/46bquXL
September 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
You’re invited to an open house about the Bank Street Active Transportation and Transit Priority Feasibility Study on Wednesday, September 24 at 7pm at Blessed Sacrament Parish, 194 Fourth Avenue.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/46bquXL
Learn more: https://bit.ly/46bquXL
"What if there were a technology that could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and environmental degradation, while improving health, reducing social inequality and boosting the economy?
There is, and this month it turns 200."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
There is, and this month it turns 200."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Make trains great again — for the sake of people and the planet
As railways enter their third century of service, research must support their renaissance for more-sustainable travel that supports human development.
www.nature.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:28 PM
"What if there were a technology that could help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and environmental degradation, while improving health, reducing social inequality and boosting the economy?
There is, and this month it turns 200."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
There is, and this month it turns 200."
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Routes 6, 7 and 12 continue to see the highest number of trips cancelled.
We don't have enough buses. Only 520 out of OC Transpo's 735 buses are on the road at any time; the rest are in the shop. Replacing old buses and expanding the fleet should be a priority.
ottawacitizen.com/news/oc-tran...
We don't have enough buses. Only 520 out of OC Transpo's 735 buses are on the road at any time; the rest are in the shop. Replacing old buses and expanding the fleet should be a priority.
ottawacitizen.com/news/oc-tran...
OC Transpo misses on-time targets — again. Now what?
Ottawa councillors voiced their frustration with the transit authority making little progress on its 99.5 per cent reliability target.
ottawacitizen.com
September 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Routes 6, 7 and 12 continue to see the highest number of trips cancelled.
We don't have enough buses. Only 520 out of OC Transpo's 735 buses are on the road at any time; the rest are in the shop. Replacing old buses and expanding the fleet should be a priority.
ottawacitizen.com/news/oc-tran...
We don't have enough buses. Only 520 out of OC Transpo's 735 buses are on the road at any time; the rest are in the shop. Replacing old buses and expanding the fleet should be a priority.
ottawacitizen.com/news/oc-tran...
The fundamental issue facing OC Transpo is that riders, rightly, don't think the service is worth paying for.
Late buses, longer commutes, and a world class train down every few weeks. Fining people $260 for refusing to pay the $4 fare won't fix that.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Late buses, longer commutes, and a world class train down every few weeks. Fining people $260 for refusing to pay the $4 fare won't fix that.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
OC Transpo issues $1 million in fines for not paying the fare
A presentation for the transit committee meeting on Thursday showed 4,059 tickets were issued for fare compliance violations between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31. OC Transpo fare compliance officers have also i...
www.ctvnews.ca
September 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The fundamental issue facing OC Transpo is that riders, rightly, don't think the service is worth paying for.
Late buses, longer commutes, and a world class train down every few weeks. Fining people $260 for refusing to pay the $4 fare won't fix that.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...
Late buses, longer commutes, and a world class train down every few weeks. Fining people $260 for refusing to pay the $4 fare won't fix that.
www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/artic...