Multiple Durham Region Transit bus routes in Oshawa, Ontario, and surrounding areas were cancelled on March 26 and March 27, 2026. These service disruptions happened because the agency did not have enough working vehicles to cover all of its daily trips.
The cancellations affected several busy paths, including Route 916, which provides frequent service between Oshawa, Ajax, Whitby, and Pickering. Other lines that faced cancellations included Routes 905, 921, and 118, forcing many residents to find other ways to get to work and school.
These vehicle shortages stem from ongoing challenges, including a fire in August 2023 that destroyed 19 buses at a depot in south Oshawa. General Manager Bill Holmes stated that the agency is doing the best it can with available resources while it works on a plan to improve service availability by mid-April 2026.
To help fix these long-term issues, the region is currently building a new zero-emissions bus facility at 2400 Thornton Road in Oshawa. This new building is expected to be finished later in 2026 and will have enough space to store and maintain up to 200 buses.
Staff members represented by Unifor Local 222 are currently working under a contract that is in place until February 2028. While the agency works through these mechanical and vehicle shortages, it is also dealing with reduced performance and lower ridership on its On Demand services.
