Running late? It could be because OC Transpo buses aren't arriving on time

If you're taking a bus to yourmorning meeting, you might want to leave home earlier than usual.

OC Transpo'snewreportontheir January to June on-time performance showsone in five buses is late during morning rush hour the worst performance OC Transpo has reported in the seven years it's been making those records public.

Also, almost one quarter of routes throughout the day arrive early, leaving Ottawa-Gatineau commuters unsure of whento arrive at their stop to catch a ride.

"The biggest thing that affects whether a bus comes on time or not is the circumstances inwhich we're operating, which is almost always automobile traffic," said Pat Scrimgeour, the city's director oftransit customer systems and planning.

"Sometimes it's just volume of traffic. Sometimes it'sexternal events."

Light rail work to blame

One external event that's caused an increase in OC Transpo delays, Scrimgeour said, is the construction on the LRT's Confederation Line.

Until the line opens next year, Scrimgeour said the plan is to keep doing what they've done thus far.Once construction is finished, he anticipatedmany delays wouldcease.

The agency releases the numbers twice a year,measuringon-time performance during the 6 a.m. to9 a.m. morning rush as well as regular routes throughoutthe day.

Those latter routes fare a little better, with only 13 per cent of buses coming late a marked improvement from last year's 18 per cent.

Still, with thetransit service averaging 320,000 riders on a given weekday, the data suggests some40,000 people arrive at their destinations late every day.

OC Transpo'sgoal is to have 90 per cent of buses arrive on time, according to their website.

Their reports, however,show the on-time rate hasn't exceeded 70 per cent in the last seven years for which records are available.

"A bus that comes [so late] that it appears to have not come at all is a big problem," Scrimgeoursaid.

• To view an infographic of the OC Transpo'sreports, click here.