Ottawa commuters celebrate, lament OC Transpo bus number changes
14 bus route numbers will change effective Sunday
This weekend, several OC Transpo bus route numbers will change, paving the way for a major expansion of light rail service in Ottawa next year.
The longtime route 2 will soon be known as route 11, and route 96 will be known as route 61. Changes to 12 other routes take effect Sunday.
For nostalgia's sake, we asked you if they had fond or foul memories of riding routes like the No. 2 or No. 96 bus.
Here's what some people had to say.
<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> The Route 96 because it was the major connector between downtown and Kanata.<br><br>Especially when connecting to local routes in Kanata.
—@GTAmissions1The infamous Number2 bus is being re-numbered as the Number11 bus. Farewell to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeuceOfOttawa?src=hash">#DeuceOfOttawa</a>. A sketch commemorating the memories... <a href="https://t.co/gzg8n2DIne">pic.twitter.com/gzg8n2DIne</a>
—@twitandrewking<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Rode the 96 to school, and just about everywhere else, everyday. I'm gonna be so lost with the new number system.
—@neilwhite89<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> Fond memories of the 2; riding it westwards from downtown when I first moved to Ottawa, and seeing Ottawa as a collection of villages.
—@jk_eaton<a href="https://twitter.com/CBCOttawa">@CBCOttawa</a> My fondest memory is once back in November 2015, the #2 was actually on time and there were no eye-watering bad smells. It was a good day
—@Thatt_Guy_JeffChance encounter with the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeuceOfOttawa?src=hash">#DeuceOfOttawa</a> on my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottbike?src=hash">#ottbike</a> commute. It's been 25 yrs since riding it...sad it's retiring. <a href="https://twitter.com/twitandrewking">@twitandrewking</a> <a href="https://t.co/opCBEYfo2V">pic.twitter.com/opCBEYfo2V</a>
—@sfyro
Route 2 to become 11
People also chimed in by email.
Kringen Henein made this tongue-in-cheek observation about route 2.
"Those mourning the loss of the number 2 on their bus should consider that number 11 looks a lot like II which is two in Roman numerals or if that doesn't work for them, then 1+1=2," wrote Henein in an email.
Have a memory to share about a retiring route number?
Send us an email.
Comment on the CBC Ottawa Facebook page.