The purpose of this memo is to inform the Mayor and Members of Council that beginning this evening, O-Train Line 1 will operate with a mixture of single and double-car trains while maintaining its current frequency. This measure is the result of a new issue that has been identified involving the Cartridge Bearing Assemblies (CBA) on O-Train Line 1 vehicles, which require additional maintenance to prioritize the safety of the fleet.

Our top priority is always the safety of transit customers and employees. Out of an abundance of caution, OC Transpo has asked RTG to replace CBAs on trains with mileage higher than 100,000 kilometres. As the CBAs are replaced, trains will be returned to service.

Line 1 service

Due to this new maintenance requirement, the number of trains available for service will be reduced, and therefore Line 1 service will be operating with a mixture of single and double-car trains, while maintaining its current frequency. Customers will see this change begin in the evening of Wednesday, January 21, and this modified service will continue until the spalling issue has been adequately addressed.

For customers, this means that:

• Line 1 hours of operation and frequency will remain the same.

• Because single-car trains will be deployed, customers may experience crowding on trains and platforms at times during the morning and afternoon peak periods.

• The Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC) will monitor the system in real-time and make adjustments where possible.

• Lines 2 and 4 trains are not affected by this issue, and service will continue as normal.

Spalling issue

As part of their ongoing investigation and analysis of the previously identified axle bearing assembly issue, Rideau Transit Group (RTG) notified OC Transpo that spalling was detected on several CBAs. Spalling is caused when flakes break off the metal surface inside the axle bearing, creating pits that grow over time. If not addressed, this can lead to cracks and can result in bearing failure.

This is a separate issue from the axle bearing assembly issue previously identified, and RTG has begun a root cause analysis in relation to it. OC Transpo, together with its independent safety consultant, Transportation Resource Associates (TRA), have been in discussions with RTG to ensure the ongoing safety of customers and staff. While RTG has maintained that the system is safe to operate, critical information remains to be provided by RTG.

As a result, and after a careful review and close collaboration with TRA, the City has provided a Safety Order to RTG requiring that any vehicle with CBAs with 100,000 kilometres or more of mileage be removed from service, and the CBA units replaced. OC Transpo is taking this step from an abundance of caution so that customers and employees can be assured that the train fleet is safe.

OC Transpo is closely monitoring the mileage on CBAs, and anticipates that as replacements occur, more vehicles may become available for service.

OC Transpo is prioritizing safety, while completing the necessary due diligence to ensure RTG and its subcontractors are accountable and working to restore reliable capacity on Line 1. These steps include:

• Working with RTG to establish timelines for increasing fleet availability

• Ongoing, careful monitoring and planning of fleet availability and CBA mileage

• Continue to work closely with our independent safety consultant, TRA

• Holding RTG to the requirements of the Project Agreement (PA) and the Safety Management System (SMS)

OC Transpo recognizes that this situation is disruptive to customers and will provide updates on all of its communication channels including octranspo.com, text messages, social media and public service announcements. OC Transpo staff will also be at key stations to support customers. A media availability will be hosted later today and will be available to watch on the City’s YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/live/v0nh_oS-YXQ

Memo_O-Train Line 1 Cartridge Bearing Assembly Spalling Update .pdf

OC Transpo Update on O-Train Line 1 Service Delivery and Bus Service Delivery Action Plan

This email is to provide an update on O-Train Line 1 service as well as the weekly update on the key performance metrics used to measure progress on our bus service delivery action plan.  

O-Train Line 1 operations 

On Thursday, January 22, Line 1 operated with a mixture of single-car trains and double-car trains with no major crowding reported at stations. There were large volumes of customers on trains, but no unsafe overcrowding was reported. Staff continue to be at key stations, and the Transit Operations Control Centre is monitoring the system in real time and making adjustments where possible.  

In response to observations from yesterday’s service, OC Transpo has adjusted its operating plans today to increase train frequency to every three to four minutes to help keep customers moving and reduce crowding during the busiest times.  During this morning’s peak period, we observed that the increased frequency helped clear station platforms.  

Line 1 service over the weekend will continue to operate as normal with trains every 10 minutes. Lines 2 and 4 are not affected by this issue and continue to operate normally. 

Spalling issue action plan 

From an operational perspective, there are two streams of parallel work underway to address the spalling issue. This includes: 

1. Work on vehicles with Cartridge Bearing Assemblies (CBA) over 100,000km:  

• Rideau Transit Group (RTG) advised they have begun replacements of CBAs.  

• As shown in the table below, there are 18 vehicles currently available for service with 41 vehicles that require CBA replacements. 

• This process is being done strategically to ensure that we are maximizing the mileage of vehicles in service.  

2. Monitoring and analysis:  

• RTG has advised that they plan to hire an outside consultant to provide additional expertise on bearings and monitoring techniques. Additionally, RTG is engaging its subcontractor, Alstom’s, bearing experts in France as part of their analysis.  

• Further investigations of multiple CBAs are underway as part of the root cause analysis.  

• In parallel, RTG continues to investigate other measuring and monitoring tools that may provide early detection of wear of the cartridge bearing assembly, including spalling. 

We continue to work with RTG to confirm vehicle availability for next week. Based on the current information available, it is estimated that 20 vehicles will be available for service on Monday, January 26. This situation remains fluid, and we are working with RTG on long-term fleet management plans. OC Transpo is monitoring the transit system closely and is in regular contact with RTG to be ready to integrate additional vehicles into service as soon as possible.  

We will continue to provide updates on this situation. A media availability will be hosted later today and will be available to watch on the City’s YouTube channel. In addition, we will be hosting a technical briefing early next week to provide more information.  

Bus Service Delivery  

The week of January 11 to January 17 saw an overall improvement in the number of buses available for service and a decrease in cancelled trips. While this is a positive improvement, work continues to ensure we can consistently deliver the service customers expect.  

The results for January 11 to January 17 show that:  

• Bus service delivery was on average 95.1%   

  • When excluding January 14 to January 16 due to severe winter weather bus service delivery was 96.1%.  

• 5% of scheduled trips were not delivered, on dates that were not affected by severe weather.

• On average, 498 buses were available every weekday, with an average weekday requirement of 500. This is a temporary decrease from 520 buses required while fleet availability improves.

Additional KPIs are attached to this email and published on octranspo.com.  As mentioned previously, we continue to work closely with our frontline staff to help provide buses for service and are leveraging external vendors to complete repairs and inspections, whenever possible. Our team also continues to investigate options to bolster our existing fleet with used buses. Every action is being done to ensure that the number of buses available for service is maximized and to continue to improve overall bus fleet availability.

We thank customers for their patience, and we continue to focus on stabilizing service. The next update on the bus key performance indicators will be shared on January 30 via email and on octranspo.com. 

Troy Charter - Interim General Manager, Transit Services Department

Sent on behalf of Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services

Good afternoon,  

This email is to provide you with an update on O-Train Line 1 operations. Service ran as expected this morning with trains operating at an increased frequency of every three to four minutes during the morning peak period. While stations were busy, we did not observe platform crowding or vehicle overloads. Line 1 continued to operate during this morning’s weather event.  

Fifteen vehicles operated during this morning’s commute and will also be in service during this afternoon’s rush hour. We anticipate that this level of train availability will continue throughout the week.   

Lines 2 and 4 are not affected by this issue and operated normally during today’s snowfall.  

OC Transpo will hold a technical briefing on Tuesday, January 27 at 3pm to provide further information on the Cartridge Bearing Assembly (CBA) spalling issue and work toward restoring full fleet capacity. An invitation with information on attending the briefing either virtually or in-person will be shared with Councillors this afternoon.  

We continue to share updates with customers on all of our communication channels including octranspo.com, text messages, social media and public service announcements. I’d like to thank your customers for their ongoing patience during this time.  

Thank you, 

Troy Charter

Interim General Manager, Transit Services Department

Technical Briefing O-Train Line 1, January 27- Presentation Material

EN_Technical Briefing Line 1 Service Delivery Action Plan.pdf

OC Transpo Update on O-Train Line 1 Service Delivery and Bus Service Delivery Action Plan

Sent on behalf of Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services

This email is to provide an update on O-Train Line 1 service as well as the weekly update on the key performance metrics used to measure progress on our bus service delivery action plan.   

O-Train Line 1 Operations  

O-Train Line 1 service continues to operate at three- to four-minute frequency during peak periods. Large customer crowds were reported earlier this week at some stations, and OC Transpo staff are now at key locations during the busiest periods. This has led to better crowd management and increased safety for customers. New onboard announcements have also been implemented on trains for the ongoing safety of customers including, reminding customers to stand away from the doors, make use of the capacity of the entire vehicle and to be mindful when boarding and exiting trains. 

Next week, customers can expect Line 1 operations to remain at three- to four-minute frequency during peak service. OC Transpo anticipates 18 trains will be available as RTG continues to develop a CBA replacement strategy that balances increasing fleet availability with ongoing maintenance and inspection requirements. We continue to work through all streams of our action plan to restore Line 1 capacity for customers, and additional meetings began this week with RTG and Alstom’s external experts and the OC Transpo team. These discussions will continue over the coming days.  

Bus Service Delivery   

The week of January 18 to January 24 saw an overall improvement in bus service delivery. The number of buses available for service remained stable and there was an overall decrease in the number of undelivered trips. Current metrics reflect a temporary decrease of 255 trips each day, resulting in a decrease of 20 buses required for service. As fleet availability improves, these trips will be added back into the schedule. 

While metrics are generally trending in a positive direction, we remain focused on the work required to meet our targets for bus availability and service delivery. 

The results for January 18 to January 24 show that:   

• Bus service delivery was on average 96.8%.  

  • Excluding days with severe winter weather, bus service delivery was 97.0%.  

• 3% of scheduled trips were not delivered. This is a decrease from the early January peak of 6% not delivered.  

• On average, 494 buses were available every weekday, with an average weekday requirement of 500.  

Additional KPIs are attached to this email and published on octranspo.com.   

We thank customers for their patience, and we continue to focus on stabilizing service. The next update on the Line 1 operations and bus key performance indicators will be shared on February 6 via email and on octranspo.com.  

Troy Charter

Acting General Manager, Transit Services Department

Sent on behalf of Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services

Mayor and Members of Council,    

This email is to provide an update on O-Train Line 1 service as well as the weekly update on the key performance metrics used to measure progress on our bus service delivery action plan.    

O-Train Line 1 Operations   

We recognize that current service on Line 1 is not meeting our standards, or the expectations of transit customers. Work is underway to safely restore capacity, while holding our maintainer accountable.  

O-Train Line 1 service continues to operate at three- to four-minute frequency during peak periods. OC Transpo staff are at key locations to assist customers, with a focus on Bayview and uOttawa stations during the busiest times.  

We now have 20 vehicles available for service. However, fleet availability is expected to continue to fluctuate as required maintenance is completed on the vehicles. Line 1 operations will continue at the current frequency. As fleet availability improves and can be sustained, additional trains will be returned to service and we will return to double-car trains in operation. 

OC Transpo continues to make progress on the action plan to restore Line 1 capacity for customers. Technical meetings are ongoing with RTG and Alstom’s external experts. RTG continues to work through their cartridge bearing assembly (CBA) replacement strategy which balances fleet availability, ongoing maintenance and inspection requirements.   

Bus Service Delivery     

The week of January 25 to January 31 saw a decline in bus service reliability compared to the preceding week. The number of buses available for service decreased slightly on average due to the prevailing weather conditions.   

Overall, progress is being made on the bus action plan, and improvements have been seen over the course of the month as the fleet has been able to stabilize much faster following winter weather. While we continue to monitor key performance indicators, we anticipate that the data from this week will show further stabilization and overall improvement. Further KPIs will be provided at the Transit Committee meeting on February 12.  

The results for January 25 to January 31  show that:    

• Bus service delivery was on average 94.4%.   

  • Excluding days with severe winter weather, bus service delivery was 94.7%.   

• 6% of scheduled trips were not delivered.  

• On average, 492 buses were available every weekday, with an average weekday requirement of 500.   

• 7 new electric buses completed all of their inspections and are now available for service; this helps increase the number of available buses.  

As a reminder, current fleet requirements reflect a temporary decrease of 255 trips each day, resulting in a decrease of 20 buses required for service. As fleet availability improves, these trips will be added back into the schedule.  

Additional KPIs are attached to this email and published on octranspo.com.    

We thank customers for their patience as we work to address service delivery challenges, and we remain committed to providing frequent, transparent updates on progress. The next update on Line 1 operations and bus key performance indicators will be shared on February 12 via email and on octranspo.com.  

Troy Charter - Acting General Manager, Transit Services Department

Bus Service Delivery Action Plan February 6 KPIs_EN.pdf

OC Transpo Update on O-Train Line 1 Service Delivery and Bus Service Delivery Action Plan

Sent on behalf of Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services

This email is to provide an update on O-Train Line 1 service as well as the weekly update on the key performance metrics used to measure progress on our bus service delivery action plan. The information below was also shared at the Transit Committee meeting on February 12, 2026.

O-Train Line 1 Operations

O-Train Line 1 service continues to operate at three- to four-minute frequency during peak periods. Large volumes of customers are still being observed on trains, however, there has been a decrease in the amount of crowding at stations. Staff continue to be at stations during the busiest periods to support customers and respond quickly should an issue arise. 

Line 1 operations will remain at an increased frequency of three- to four-minutes during peak service. OC Transpo expects 21 vehicles will continue to be available for service, with the number of in-service vehicles fluctuating due to other regular maintenance and inspection requirements.

We continue to work through all aspects of our action plan to safely restore capacity on Line 1 for customers. Technical meetings continue with Rideau Transit Group (RTG), Alstom, their external experts and the OC Transpo team. This work is complex and discussions continue. Further technical information is still required from RTG to validate and verify the containment measures and risk analysis.

We understand that this does not meet the service levels that customers expect, and we will continue to provide weekly updates on the work to safely restore capacity on Line 1.

 

Bus Service Delivery     

The week of February 1 to February 7 saw improvements in service delivery compared to the preceding week. There was a decrease in undelivered trips, and bus availability recovered after impacts from winter weather.

Average weekday bus availability slightly exceeded the temporary daily requirement of 500 buses, for the first time since we began providing weekly updates on the bus service delivery action plan in early January.  While trends over the past several weeks show progress in some key areas like fleet availability, we continue to monitor key performance indicators and make adjustments to address service delivery challenges and translate short-term progress into stability over the long term.   

The results for February 1 to February 7 show that:    

• Bus service delivery was on average 96.6%.   

• 4% of scheduled trips were not delivered.  

• On average, 503 buses were available every weekday, with an average weekday requirement of 500. 

• One new electric bus has entered service and there are now 49 electric buses available. 

As a reminder, current fleet requirements reflect a temporary decrease of 255 trips each day, resulting in a decrease of 20 buses required for service. As fleet availability improves, these trips will be added back into the schedule.  

Additional key performance metrics are attached to this email and published on octranspo.com.      

We thank customers for their patience as we work to address service delivery challenges, and we remain committed to providing frequent, transparent updates on progress. The next update on Line 1 operations and bus key performance indicators will be shared on February 20 via email and on octranspo.com.