Higher fares, worse service.

That's what James Woods, a pre-animation student, feels he has been experiencing as an OC Transpo rider.

“I’m stuck paying higher fares but I’m not getting better service,” he said.

Students like Woods, 25, bought their bus passes to avoid the worries of having to buy and maintain a car, but buses haven’t been on time, and he relies on the bus schedule to get him to school and work, which has resulted in a couple write-ups and being late for class.

“It’s embarrassing. I’m punctual on my end,” said Woods. “Why bother with the automated phone system if it doesn’t actually matter,” he added.

Not only is OC Transpo going to hike up the prices in 2011, they are going to cut costs by eliminating and/or shortening local routes. By cutting these routes, it is likely they will implement more express routes—which aren’t perfect either.

In fact, according to a report by the Ottawa Citizen, more than half of the city’s buses are more than five minutes early or late.

Express buses have been reaching maximum capacity within the first three or four stops, which obligates the driver to ignore all other passengers until space frees up. “There’s a shortage in buses and in drivers,” said OC Transpo driver Bob Larose.

“That’s fine on a neighbourhood route, but not on an express,” said Larose. Although these issues don’t affect him directly, Larose believes there is a gap in the service and the climbing prices.

“We’re being pushed around by a major corporation,” said Woods.

From 2007 to 2011, bus tickets have jumped from $0.95 to $1.25, and student monthly passes have jumped from $59.75 to $73.25, but buses are still overcrowded and rarely on time. Prices will go up again as of July.

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