The Ottawa Senators have announced details of the Sens Army Express, a bus program that was initially made public at the Season Seat Member Summit in mid-August.
The free bus service will take fans from Molson bars spread throughout Ottawa-Gatineau to the Canadian Tire Centre for every Ottawa Senators home game, beginning with preseason games against Toronto and Montreal in late September.
The buses will depart 90 minutes before game time, with sign-ups taking place on game nights only on a first-come, first-served basis. Each bus has a 46-seat capacity, so space is limited. No alcohol consumption will be allowed on the bus.
“It’s been talked about for a little while, and we’ve been working with the NHL on a program like this,” said Chris Phillips, the Senators’ Vice President of Business Operations.
“We’re one of the few buildings that are outside of the urban area, a lot of new buildings are built right downtown. So we have a lot of traffic right from downtown, and to help alleviate the traffic, some of the parking woes, and driving home, it’s an opportunity for people to use transit.”
To ride the bus, fans must have a valid ticket for the game that night. Fans wearing opposing team jerseys or gear will not be allowed to ride the bus. The same bus will return fans to the participating bar after the game, departing Canadian Tire Centre 30 minutes following the final buzzer. Fans who miss the return bus will be responsible for arranging their own transportation home.
Phillips says that the locations, which will be revealed at a later date, will not just allow fans to replace their car trips with the free bus service but also allow fans without vehicles to attend games on a budget.
“That was all a part of the planning process. Obviously, it’s tailored partly to people who may otherwise not come out,” said Phillips.
“We’ll hopefully increase attendance with it, as well. Strategically, they are spread out across Ottawa and Gatineau to make it as available as possible.”
