The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, November 30, 2007

Re: Make express bus service more efficient, Nov. 29.

Letter-writer Malcolm Drury is right about the need for improvements. Like him, I take the No. 101 and express buses back to Barrhaven.

With many buses jammed to capacity, as he highlights, I've actually found it quicker to backtrack on the 101 to Lees and catch an express bus from there. I have an Ecopass Plus because I can easily get a seat on the express buses whereas I would likely stand for 45 minutes on a regular bus. Taking the regular bus to work is actually quicker than taking express: one hour vs. one hour, 15 minutes.

Not only are Albert and Slater streets jammed with a bus overload, but OC Transpo has the foolish policy of allowing regular transit pass holders to pile onto southbound Barrhaven express buses at Baseline and Fallowfield Stations, further slowing us down on our trip home.

Perhaps OC Transpo should invest in adequate local routes rather than punish express pass holders, who pay a premium for faster commutes.

Council should stop piling more and more buses on Albert and Slater and get back on board with light-rail transit. Let's unclog our downtown core and get us the service we deserve.

Mark Johnson,

Nepean