[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

The issue of STO buses clogging downtown Ottawa isn't a figment of my imagination. It's been an issue brought up in council many times, and several measures have had to be put in place to ensure STO does not have carte blanche using the Ottawa side to stage their operations. This topic goes back a decade in this forum. The fact that STO is now only limited to specific loops into downtown is a response to these on-going concerns, not just mine but by a good number of Ottawans.

I take a bus into Gatineau about once every 2 weeks to see clients in the government and it is not particularly convenient. There is no proper "portal" into the STO system — most OC Transpo users are left intimidated or clueless how to use it, therefore it becomes a barrier. I tend to stick to the OC Transpo routes that can take me there. The idea of an orderly terminal at Bayview that acts a simple gateway into the STO Rapibus system appeals to me, and if it was part of a fare-paid zone within the LRT station it would lift an intimidating barrier. So yeah, the STO loops downtown are great for getting Gatineau commuters to work and you can keep them, but it does little to encourage the rest of us to explore the other side.

Fair enough. But how much is it worth in dollars and cents to fix that?