OC Transpo GM says 2-car Line 1 trains will return mid-June
Newcomer Rick Leary introduces plan to make service reliable, riders happy
CBC News
Posted: May 12, 2026 10:33 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
OC Transpo's new leader says Line 1 of the O-Train should have two-car trains again by the middle of June, an improvement from the single-car train service it's had most of the year.
That was part of what transit general manager Rick Leary on Tuesday morning called a "customer-first action plan" to make a stronger, more reliable bus and train network that leads to happier riders.
Ottawa has been short of working buses and trains for most of this year.
Line 1 of the LRT has been running with reduced service since Jan. 21, when flaking metal was found inside the cartridge bearing assembly that connects the axle to the wheels. That forced OC Transpo to take most of train cars off the rails and operate with single-car service.
As of the most recent update, on May 8, OC Transpo had 27 train cars available for service. Leary said the mid-June target for two-car trains will keep spares set aside.
After that is restored, Leary said the focus will turn to opening the line's eastern extension into Orléans. He declined to offer an updated timeline for that project.
Line 1 trains normally consist of two cars that can hold 300 people each. Single-car service has led to some crowding problems, particularly during peak morning and afternoon hours.
When it comes to buses, OC Transpo has blamed aging vehicles that kept breaking down, forcing it to cancel hundreds of trips.
At the height of the problem, on Jan. 5, roughly 10 per cent of bus trips were cancelled. That has improved significantly as OC Transpo gets new electric buses to replace the aging fleet, though buses are still running on a reduced schedule with fewer planned trips.
The general manager said Tuesday that those trips will be restored and that a heavy maintenance plan is one way to get there.
Other aspects of Leary's plan include more predictable bus schedules, more special constable patrols of downtown transit stations (with a focus on Rideau station) and a 10-year investment plan the city can bring to higher levels of government for help with.
He said he would like for OC Transpo to make more money through digital advertising and to work with major, unspecified employers on fare packages.
Leary, who started at the end of March, said there will be more details at Thursday's transit committee meeting and that he plans town hall meetings with riders in the weeks to come.
With files from Arthur White-Crummey
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/oc-transpo-bus-train-lrt-service-update-2026-9.7196387
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