Transport Canada critical of Nova Bus recall

Transport Canada says the company manufacturing buses subject to a recall should have told Gatineaus STO and other transit agencies about it sooner than they did.

Nova Bus is fixing faulty alternators in some 1,500 transit buses in Canada, 68 of them in Gatineau, because of a fire hazard.

Gatineaus transit agency saiditfound out about the recallafter an unrelated engine fire on Aug. 8, more than a month after the recall was issued on July 2.

• 68 STO buses recalled due to risk of fire
• TTC to inspect 88 buses after part recall

Nova Bus said it has two months from the day it posts a Notice of Defect with Transport Canada to come up with a solution and let transit agencies know, plus the defect didnt require emergency action.

Transport Canada later said Nova Bus should have told the STO and other agencies right away, saying they'll look into the matter.

Montreal's transit agency said it only learned about the recall after an incident there on July 28, while agencies in Toronto and Quebec City said they found out about it when reporters called them.

Ottawa's OCTranspodoes not use Nova Bus vehicles.

The STO said earlier this week the recall wont affect passenger service, as Nova Bus has said the problem can be fixed in an hour or two.

The Toronto Transit Commission saidthey'll inspect 88 of their buses because of the recall, but aren't pulling any off the road.