Here's a rare look inside OC Transpo's Transit Operations Centre
CTV
When major events come to the nation's capital or when harsh weather slams the city, the dozens of staff members inside OC Transpo's Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC) jump into action.
When major events come to the nation's capital or when harsh weather slams the city, the dozens of staff members inside OC Transpo's Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC) jump into action.
"We have a very dedicated, very professional team of rail controllers, bus controllers, special constable unit controllers here doing everything they can, everything we can, to minimize those disruptions," said Brad Tubman, manager of the TOCC.
"In a typical month, we would get about 35,000 calls just on the bus side from bus operators into the bus control section. During a snowstorm, that would really increase and there could be thousands of calls per day into the control room."
Tubman says they typically have about seven controllers taking all those calls during a time when demand is at its highest.
He adds, communications coordinators are also hard at work to meet the demand.
"The interactions are very quick. They are very brief and to-the-point," said Tubman.
"We're giving direction as quickly and as efficiently as we can."