OC Transpo's Historic Relics
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OC Transpo (Ottawa-Carleton) operates a shocking amount of articulated and double-decker buses, with many of them being quite old yet somehow still operational in 2026. I want to explore some of them as they’re quickly being retired as I currently type.
OC Transpo 6005 & 6057 (2001 New Flyer D60LF ) Operating Routes 20B: Orléans & 86: Lincoln Fields (2010)Table of Contents
- But Just How Old?
- The Iconic Transitway: Ottawa’s Transit Backbone
- The Remaining Belugas of Ottawa (New Flyer D40i)
- They Refuse to Die (New Flyer D60LF/R)
Older Than You Think
For context, the oldest bus model still operational in the TTC’s active bus fleet is the 2007 Orion VII NG (Next Gen) (Hybrid) . The New Flyer Industries (NFI) D40i buses in OC Transpo’s fleet are from 2004. That makes these NFI D40i buses older than me and three years older than the Orions, which OC Transpo retired in 2020 .
TTC 1397 & 8184 (2008/2010 Orion VII NG ) at Eglinton Station Operating Routes 103: Mt Pleasant North & 61A: Avenue Rd North (2011)The Iconic Transitway: Ottawa’s Transit Backbone
OC Transpo (New Flyer D60LF) at Westboro Transitway Station Operating Route 97X: Airport-Bayshore(?) (2007)Ottawa, the Capital of Canada, is a heavily car-oriented city with subpar transit service and ridiculously high fares. You’ll often see empty articulated or double-decker buses operating on weekends, only for them to suddenly disappear when a snowstorm hits because they get stuck in snow or struggle around roundabouts.
This video documentary by GioTV1 does an excellent job explaining the challenges and shortfalls of using OC Transpo as a daily commuter.
As Ottawa and OC Transpo undergo massive transit upgrades with the construction and extensions of their LRT lines by repurposing their iconic Transitway, a historic piece of Ottawa’s early transit network is slowly being erased.
OC Transpo (New Flyer D60LF) at St-Laurent Transitway Station Operating Route 95: Trim-Barrhaven Centre (2006)The Transitway was a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network made up of bus-only rights-of-way. This essentially established a highway network exclusive to OC Transpo buses with stations, known as Transitway stops, serving commuters. With the first segment opening in 1983, a fraction of its prime still remains today.
OC Transpo 6063 (2001 New Flyer D60LF) in the West End Transitway (2010)The Remaining Belugas of Ottawa
OC Transpo 4438 (2005 New Flyer D40i) on the Transitway Leaving Lincoln Fields Transitway Station (2009)OC Transpo operates a significant fleet of New Flyer D40i (Invero) buses built by New Flyer Industries (NFI) between 2003 and 2006. Due to poor demand, the Invero lineup was discontinued in 2007, with OC Transpo being the main operator of them. With a distinct front hump that resembles a beluga, these buses introduced a top-mounted HVAC system that improved airflow circulation and later influenced New Flyer’s next bus line, the Xcelsior (XDE40 , XDE60 , XE40 , etc.).
OC Transpo 4449 (2006 New Flyer D40i) with Beluga Hump Operating Route 86B: Baseline at LeBreton Transitway Station (presently Pimisi) (2012)
I was fortunate to ride the NFI D40i once during my time in Ottawa, and the loud roar of the diesel engine instantly brought back the nostalgia of the Orion VIIs (rawrrr >:D). The STOP REQUESTED sign is an ancient relic, and the singular sliding rear door is fascinating compared to the push-to-open doors found today.
STOP REQUESTED in OC Transpo 4347 (2005 New Flyer D40i) (2025)Out of 326 buses originally ordered, only 29 are still actively in service as of April 2026 according to CPTDB (9 according to OC Transpo’s website , down from 55 in Jan 2026 ). That’s 8.9% (2.8%) of the original fleet that are still driving the roads of Ottawa, and they’ll almost certainly be retired soon, marking the end of the Belugas. Since Jan 2026 alone, 13 units were retired (46 according to OC Transpo). The D40is are going extinct, so definitely enjoy them while you still can!
OC Transpo 4521 (2007 New Flyer D40i) Retired After a Collision on Feb 2, 2026 (2025)They Refuse to Die
OC Transpo 6332 (2004 New Flyer D60LF) Operating Route 95: Nepean South on the Transitway (2006)The D60LF (Low Floor) by New Flyer Industries was the first articulated bus of its kind to feature a low-floor design. OC Transpo ordered a substantial amount of them in 2001 and its successor, the D60LFR (Low Floor Restyled) , in 2010 to modernize and replace the aging fleet. Out of 280 units, 31 are still operating as of April 2026 according to CPTDB (32 according to OC Transpo ) — 11.1%. The bulk of the D60LFs were replaced by the D60LFRs.
OC Transpo 6151 (2003 New Flyer D60LF) Operating Route 27: Hull at St-Laurent Transitway Station (2007)The D60LFR featured a curved exterior, hence the “restyled,” plus specification upgrades. Everything else is mostly unchanged from the D60LF (minor patch update lol). Out of 306 units, 294 are still operating as of April 2026 according to CPTDB (285 according to OC Transpo ) — 96.1% (93.1%).
OC Transpo 6579 (2011 New Flyer D60LFR) Operating Route 14: Carlington (2015)Within the interior, there’s a specific set of seats positioned in the middle at the “accordion” of the articulated bus. Due to the nature of articulated buses, the connecting flexible bellows (accordion) section goes through some aggressive bumps and bends, I call it the “rollercoaster” seat. Sitting here feels like you’re riding a rollercoaster and about to fall off — yes, it can sometimes get you nauseous too.
The Rollercoaster Seat Found in the Accordion of D60LF and D60LFR Models (© Rongbin Gu 2026)Winter 2026 brought some unique challenges to OC Transpo with some brutal snowfall. OC Transpo frankly couldn’t get the needed repairs done on its buses due to a lack of qualified mechanics and a parts shortage for its aging fleet (D40i, D60LF, D60LFR), creating a maintenance backlog and causing route cancellations. This forced many of these aging diesel models into retirement. If only OC Transpo hadn’t sold off its fleet of Orion VII NGs back in 2020 due to reduced bus demand after the opening of the Confederation Line O-Train LRT . To address this, OC Transpo has ordered a fleet of New Flyer XD60s , successors to the D60LFRs, to continue the presence of articulated buses in Ottawa.
NYCTA 4761 (2013 New Flyer XD60) Operating Route B46: Crown Heights(?) (2022)
TTC 9451 (2023 New Flyer XDE60) Operating Route 929: Dufferin Express (2025)Closing
And that’s it, thanks for reading! To all the transit enthusiasts in Ottawa, please take more photos of your transit system. Finding good photos for this page was a struggle.
Email: gu.rongbin99@gmail.com
The OC Transpo GenerationsLast modified: 2026/04/20 by Rongbin Gu