O-Train Line 2 and Line 4 will launch Sunday service before end of April, OC Transpo boss says

The new O-Train Line 2 and Line 4 will “definitely” begin operating seven days a week before the end of April, as OC Transpo continues to address a shortage of operators and some bugs with the new line.

The Trillium Line opened to the public on Jan. 6, initially launching with service five days a week, Monday to Friday. On Jan. 25, OC Transpo began Saturday service on Line 2 and Line 4.

During Thursday’s Transit Committee meeting, Transit Services general manager Renée Amilcar said Sunday service will begin before OC Transpo launches changes to bus routes on April 27.

“Definitely before New Ways to Bus, and hopefully it will be before that,” Amilcar said.

Councillors were told there’s “still some work to do” before OC Transpo begins service seven days a week on the LRT line.

“Some of the work includes updates to the passenger information display system at stations and on trains. This work is in progress,” Troy Charter, transportation manager at OC Transpo. “Having Sundays available allows us the opportunity to conduct these tests without impacting customers.”

“TNext is also leveraging the time in working to resolve a number of minor deficiencies that is not affecting service,” Charter said, adding the work includes removing graffiti, repairing damaged glass at stations and adjustments to station doors.

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The biggest issue OC Transpo and TransitNext are working to address before moving to service seven days a week is a shortage of train operators. Councillors were told OC Transpo is short 23 operators for the Trillium Line.

“It is also during this phase that is allowing OC Transpo to further stabilize our workforce while we prioritize the ongoing training of our diesel rail operators and our support staff,” Charter said.

There are currently 53 diesel rail operators available for service on O-Train Lines 2 and 4. OC Transpo needs 66 diesel rail operators for seven-day service, and the transit service’s target is 76 trained operators available to operate Lines 2 and 4.

Twenty people are currently undergoing training and certification.

There were more than 300,000 passenger trips on Line 2 and Line 4 during the first four weeks of service. Bayview, Carleton and South Keys stations are the three busiest stations.

The Line 4 line between South Keys and the Ottawa International Airport is seeing 900 passenger trips a day, according to Amilcar.