The OC Transpo bus cancellation crisis has left Ottawa's transit riders frustrated and waiting at stops for their delayed or cancelled buses. The issue has been exacerbated by the aging diesel buses and the delayed arrival of electric buses that were supposed to replace them. The crisis has been a persistent problem for Ottawa, with bus reliability suffering due to a driver shortage and an unreliable LRT. Despite efforts to improve, the transit agency has struggled to keep up with the workload and maintain its target of one bus cancellation in 200. The aging buses, some nearing 20 years of service, have led to increased maintenance needs and reduced availability. The transit chief acknowledges that the issue is not solely a matter of money, but rather the time it takes to implement necessary improvements. While the transit agency has ordered used diesel buses and new diesel buses to plug gaps, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union 279 believes that OC Transpo gambled too much on electrification and was caught without a backup plan. The situation has left transit riders in a difficult position, with the transit chief promising that the situation will improve, but not without some short-term pain.
