OC Transpo report reveals confusion, misinformation
Commuters left in the dark when breakdown delayed brand new LRT
Wrong PA announcements.
Wrong information on the overhead signs.
OC Transpo staff who “weren’t given enough time to move customers” when an LRT delay occurred.
And somehow, the wrong recorded announcement was able to “override” the correct one on the PA system.
These communications gremlins faced OC Transpo on the Tuesday of its first week of LRT service, during its first significant delay, which slowed the system for about 40 minutes. Details in an internal “sit rep” (situation report) were released through an access to information request after the Citizen could not get the information about that day’s LRT delay through regular channels.
That first breakdown (when a train had to be hauled away) happened while crosstown buses were still running their old service in parallel with the trains. Breakdowns and delays became more serious after Oct. 6, when buses were taken away and everyone had to take the trains.
Sarah Wright-Gilbert, a citizen member of the city’s transit commission, said communication surrounding delays has been a persistent issue for OC Transpo.
“It’s not good, to be honest,” she said in an interview.
She said it’s time for the transit system to work harder at keeping LRT passengers informed whenever things go wrong.
Wright- Gilbert said LRT service is usually “incredible” for her daily commute across the full length of Line 1. But she said passengers are too often left in the dark if there is a delay.
In September she was stuck on a stopped train “with absolutely no information from OC Transpo on Twitter.” (Transpo has since beefed up its use of the OCTranspoLive Twitter feed.)
She was delayed again this Monday, and the train operators “were giving only very generic information — ‘We are experiencing delays. We should be going in a couple of minutes.’ ” Eventually passengers were told to get off, and no one in Cyrville station could tell her what was happening either.
“And that’s my concern, when the rail operator is telling me one thing and then I’m getting zero information from the people who are the face of OC Transpo on the platform … and it’s not his fault. He didn’t have the information,” she said.
The PA told her there was a delay. The displays said the trains were “held.” That was all.
Wright-Gilbert was also disturbed by the contrast between the Sept. 17 “sit rep” and an email that general manager John Manconi wrote to Ottawa councillors the same day. She says the email
“glossed over” problems that commissioners should have been told about.
It says in part: “Day 2 of this amazing new system was solid on multiple fronts. … Overall we are exactly where we need to be, remembering that parallel bus service peels off on Oct. 6 making things even more precise while ensuring our number 1 priority is covered — our customers.
“On October 7 customers receive their final change and your $5.1 M bus improvement investment city wide which improves bus service along with the anticipated significant bus reliability from not having to run buses through the core/ across the city.
“Bus service reliability will improve as planned.”
“I’m concerned,” Wright- Gilbert said. “We are told as commissioners that it is not our job to worry about operations.” But she argues that the commission’s role is to promote transit and to hold Transpo to account, which can’t happen when Manconi’s email “is not reflective of what happened that day. I’m concerned that the information in the email is not complete. We were not given a complete picture. And it’s clear from this sit rep that the communications were a serious issue.”
She is also annoyed that October’s monthly commission meeting was cancelled for lack of written reports to discuss. She feels it’s time to discuss the LRT, as well as bus reliability which many passengers perceive as declining.
On Wednesday, the confusion around a delay continued. The official OC Transpo announcement said service was running, though passengers could only use the eastbound platforms at three stations — Hurdman, Lees and uOttawa.
On social media passengers complained they were not being told what was happening or how long delays would last. tspears@postmedia.com twitter.com/TomSpears1