The Ottawa Citizen
October 12, 2009

As many bus riders know, the number 12 is among the least reliable buses in
the city. I finally learned why.

On Thursday, I arrived at the Shoppers City East stop at 5:15 p.m. After the
5:22 and the 5:34 buses did not arrive, I called the OC Transpo information
line to find out when I could expect a bus. I was told that, since the 12
runs approximately every 10 minutes, buses will be pulled off that route to
cover others when those buses break down or have delays. This happened to two
buses in a row for me.

In theory, it is better to have some people waiting an extra 10 minutes
instead of an extra 30. But this practice is completely unfair. As a paying
customer, I should be able to rely on my bus arriving sometime around the
scheduled time. To have two buses in a row cancelled is unfair to the riders
who rely on the No. 12 to get to work and school. I cannot afford to be 10
minutes late to work. Leaving 10 minutes early apparently would not even
guarantee my timeliness, since two buses in a row were cancelled.

Isn't there another way? Aren't there other buses that could be used to cover
delays and breakdowns? Why should the riders of the No. 12 be stranded?

Sarah Sharp,
Ottawa