Ottawa

LRT site provides latest updates with a wink and a smile

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Ottawa software developer hopes crowdsourced site helps frustrated riders 'let off the steam'

A man holds his hand to his face as he rides Ottawa's LRT on Nov. 1, 2019. 'There's a lot of anxiety and people are getting aggressive,' said Justin Kelly, creator of the crowdsourced update site Occasional Transport. (Andrew Lee/CBC)

It started out as a joke.

Ottawa software developer Justin Kelly created a website to track the number of days the LRT went without a major malfunction, then posted a link on Reddit.

But after several days with the counter stuck at zero, Kelly decided it needed a few tweaks.

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"Things got worse, and at that point I had to update the website to adjust for so many failures," he said.

Kelly decided to turn his website, called Occasional Transport — a play on OC​​​​ Transpo's name, not to mention its recent success rate — into an interactive tool for riders to report issues with the LRT system.

The website curates reports submitted by riders through email, Twitter and Reddit, turning them into up-to-date status reports that keep passengers informed about what's going on down the line.

"I can let people know that three stations down there's a dead train, so you're not just standing there wondering what's going on," Kelly said.

Occasional Transport was reporting a relatively smooth ride Thursday afternoon. The news isn't always so sunny. (occasionaltransport.ca)

Soothing anger through satire

While Kelly's site does provide passengers with survival information, he admits it's also managed to maintain its satirical edge.

"There's a lot of anxiety and people are getting aggressive, and I found that the humour helped people let off the steam," he said.

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Under a section on the website labelled "news," updates include "Slight breezes and sunlight might be the cause of door jams says OC."

Justin Kelly previously created the app PotSnap, which allows drivers to report potholes on city roads. (Hallie Cotnam/CBC)

Kelly, whose previous projects include an app that allows drivers to report potholes on city roads, admits to mixed feelings about his latest venture.

"It's nice that I'm doing this, but I shouldn't have to do this. Nobody should have to do this," he said.

OC Transpo has its own Twitter account that provides updates on delays or cancellations, as well as a separate website for alerts.

But Kelly believes his crowdsourced site is faster at reporting incidents. It also gives people something to do while they're waiting for their train, he said.

"The train is going to come eventually. OC Transpo is trying, even though they suck. So just be calm and relax."