OC Transpo Needs Fixing

The City of Ottawa auditor has released a report stating that the current scheduling system for the bus drivers is not achieving the previously projected savings. The auditor has recommended that the city address the problem by implementing change in future contract negotiations. The reaction of “It’s not happening” by union president Craig Watson to a suggestion that adjustments be made to the OC Transpo bus scheduling, while understandable from the union’s perspective, is counterproductive to the resolution of the problem. Notwithstanding the reasons why OC Transpo may have adopted a scheduling system that was not in sync with the common practices elsewhere, its actions at the time appeared well-intended. If it is not working as expected or is creating an unnecessary drain on the transportation budget, it needs to be revisited. Although the union may have an obligation to minimize the impact of any change to the work schedule on their members, they must also recognize that the management at OC Transpo have an obligation to do what is best for the city. Both sides need to understand that the objective here is to ensure that taxpayers are getting the best value for their money.