Star Metro - Data Analysis Reveals Ottawa's $7 Billion LRT Investment Increased Average Transit Times by 10 Minutes

OTTAWA, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 30, 2026 / Bronson.AI, a Canadian leader in AI and predictive analytics, today released ground-breaking research analyzing Ottawa's Light Rail Transit (LRT) transformation. The study reveals that despite approximately $7 billion invested in converting the city's Bus Rapid Transit system to Light Rail, average transit times have increased by nearly 10 minutes compared to 2019 levels.

The analysis, conducted by Bronson.AI Director of Data, AI and Automation Glendon Hass and Mahtab Moghadam, who holds an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, examined transit performance across Ottawa neighbourhoods following the phased LRT rollout. Their findings expose a stark geographic divide in transit outcomes, with western neighbourhoods experiencing the most significant negative impacts.

"The data tells a story that averages alone cannot capture," said Glendon Hass, AI Evangelist at Bronson.AI and former IBM AI leader. "When we analyzed transit times neighbourhood by neighbourhood, a clear pattern emerged-where you live in Ottawa now determines whether the LRT investment improved or worsened your commute. Only 18% of neighbourhoods saw improvements, while the west side of the city has been disproportionately affected."

Key findings from the Bronson.AI Ottawa LRT analysis include:

• Average transit trip times increased by approximately 10 minutes citywide

• Western Ottawa neighbourhoods experienced the largest negative impacts

• Only 18% of neighbourhoods saw transit time improvements

• Geographic location relative to LRT stations and feeder route infrastructure significantly influences commuter experience

The research highlights the importance of data transparency in public transit planning and investment. Bronson.AI recommends municipalities track metrics such as minutes-saved-per-dollar by route and neighbourhood, publish time-ratio maps alongside ridership data, and measure transfer penalties to drive accountability and inform future transit decisions.

"Ottawa built a transit spine with this $7 billion investment," added Hass. "The question now is whether we invest in the capillaries-the local routes, transfer quality, and frequency-that determine whether that spine actually works for residents.". These concerns have become even more pressing in 2026, when OC Transpo experienced what Councillor Glen Gower called "the worst week for bus service that I can recall over the past five years." With only 467 buses available daily against a requirement of 520-and over 800 trips cancelled on a single day-the feeder routes essential to LRT connectivity are now themselves in crisis.

The full analysis is available at https://bronson.ai/resources/all-aboard-or-left-behind-ottawa-transit-in-the-lrt-era/.

About Bronson.AI

Bronson.AI helps organizations unlock the value of their data using AI and predictive analytics. With over 35 years of experience and more than 1,000 successful projects delivered, Bronson.AI is a trusted partner in data-driven insights. For more information, visit www.bronson.ai.

"AI and Analytics should be for everyone, not just large corporations," says Martin McGarry, President and Chief Data Scientist at Bronson.AI. "This transit analysis demonstrates exactly what we do-cut through the jargon and use data to tell stories that matter to real people in their daily lives. We will update the analysis periodically and give Ottawa residents a clear picture of winners and losers".

Contact Information

Martin McGarry, President & Chief Data Scientist
[email protected] | 613-219-8434

SOURCE: Bronson.AI

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

A.Harris--SMC