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Commute Candids – A Love/Hate Relationship With OCTranspo

Like this recent Tweet shows, I have a love/hate relationship with OC Transpo, Ottawa’s bus system. On one hand, I am happy that we even have a public transit system—it’s not always a given in North America, where most households own a car or two. Besides, OC Transpo is fairly reliable and fast along the Transitway, its exclusive corridor. On the other hand, I do find tickets are very expensive, service is poor in some parts of the city and on some lines, the passengers are… ahem, interesting to say the least.

And then there is the frustration of standing at the bus stop, an eye on the road and the other one on your watch, waiting for your ride to show up. Buses are regularly late or cancelled and it can make a simple trip pretty stressful. Hell, I have walked over 5 kilometres to my destination rather than standing in the cold waiting for #14 or #176.

Observing people at the bus stop is interesting. Some folks fidget or light up a smoke, hoping for their bus to show up. Others simply accept their fate and focus on productivity or turn to entertainment, pulling their smartphone out of their bag or pocket. French would probably complain and rant together about the bus service, the city or politics but most of the time, Canadians keep to themselves. It is an individualistic society, I guess.

Meanwhile… I take pictures! Here are a few snapshots “At the Bus Stop”, taken this month in Ottawa.

On Merivale Road
On Merivale Road
On Holland Street
On Holland Street
Chinatown
Chinatown
Chinatown
Chinatown
Chinatown
Chinatown
Bank Street
Bank Street
Rideau Street
Rideau Street
Rideau Street
Rideau Street
MacKenzie King Bridge
MacKenzie King Bridge
MacKenzie King Bridge
MacKenzie King Bridge
MacKenzie King Bridge
MacKenzie King Bridge
A OC Transpo Bus
A OC Transpo Bus
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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