Ottawa Commuter Endures Frostbite After Three-Hour Transit Nightmare
What should have been a routine 50-minute journey home from downtown Ottawa turned into a harrowing three-hour ordeal for Jazz Rosenberg on January 27, leaving her with medically confirmed frostbite in her feet. The extreme cold that day, combined with multiple transit failures, created what Rosenberg describes as an "unfunny comedy of errors" that resulted in physical harm.
A Painful Homecoming
Rosenberg finally arrived home at 8 p.m. after her extended commute. "I was in such agonizing pain as my feet began adjusting to the warmer temperature of my house. It was extremely painful," she recounted. "I was scared to take off my boots. I genuinely didn't know what I would see."
The following day, a medical clinic visit confirmed her feet were in the early stages of frostbite. "Luckily no permanent damage, but it would take a few weeks before a full recovery," Rosenberg said. "My feet hurt and were extremely sensitive and prickly-feeling for days after the incident. I am just lucky I was able to find warmth when I did."
Systemic Transit Issues
Brooke Anderson, a board member at the advocacy group Ottawa Transit Riders, noted this was the first medically-confirmed frostbite case she had heard about from transit users, though she had received other concerning reports. "We live in a city that has very cold winters and very warm summers. If you're not prepared because of the length of time you have to wait, being left outside could be harmful," Anderson emphasized.
OC Transpo has been grappling with multiple reliability challenges. On February 11, Ottawa city council passed two motions directing the transit agency to explore compensation options for riders, including potential refunds. The system's problems have been compounded by technical issues and staffing challenges.
Technical Failures and Service Disruptions
On January 21, OC Transpo reported that metal flaking—known as "spalling"—had been detected on some cartridge bearing assemblies on Line 1 trains. This discovery led to approximately 70 percent of Line 1 cars being taken out of service. By January 27, only 18 cars remained operational, though that number has since increased to 21.
Simultaneously, OC Transpo has been working to recruit bus operators and replace an aging diesel bus fleet. A recent report covering January 25-31 revealed a decline in bus service reliability compared to the previous week, with the number of available buses dropping slightly due to weather conditions and six percent of scheduled trips not being delivered.
Transit Agency Response
OC Transpo's interim general manager, Troy Charter, acknowledged the frustrations of transit users. "I completely understand our customers' frustrations," Charter told reporters. "It's warranted at this point. But I also want to assure them that we're not going to sacrifice safety for service, and we're working tirelessly seven days a week to improve and get this back to where it needs to be."
The incident highlights the critical intersection of public transportation reliability and winter safety in a northern city like Ottawa. As temperatures plummet, transit delays can become more than mere inconveniences—they can pose genuine health risks to riders left exposed to extreme conditions.
