OC Transpo catches 1,300 passengers not paying the fare so far this year

An OC Transpo user paying for a transit fare. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

More than 1,300 people have been fined for not paying the fare to ride OC Transpo buses and the O-Train so far this year.

The transit service tells CTV News Ottawa fare enforcement officers issued 1,359 fines for fare compliance violations in the first three months of the year, including 535 fines in March.

Officers also issued 95 warnings to transit riders for not paying the fare.

The fine for not paying the fare is $260.

In March, OC Transpo said fare inspectors are focusing on “conducting randomized compliance checks with as many transit users as possible,” as part of a new fare evasion methodology.

Last year, the transit committee was told there were 12 fare enforcement officers working on buses and the O-Train, with officers deployed Monday to Friday.

OC Transpo issued 4,059 tickets for fare compliance violations between January and August last year, and 4,309 tickets were issued for failing to pay the fare in 2024.

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