Back-to-school period did not give usual boost to transit ridership
Urban transit ridership saw a slight bump in September across the country, but nowhere near the normal numbers that systems usually see as summer draws to a close and students head back to school.
The latest information from Statistics Canada shows that ridership was up from its low of 24.5 million passenger trips in April to 67 million in September, but that number is still 59 per cent lower than the same month last year.
“September is usually a pretty busy month for transit because holidays are over and students resume studying. Obviously, this is a different year,” said Marco D'Angelo, president and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association. “But, it's important to note that although it is down, we're continuing to move 2.5 million Canadians that rely on transit every day and running a high level of service.”
One explanation for lower ridership, according to Statistics Canada, is the fact that most post-secondary students are completing their studies online, and several transit agencies have reduced their service in response.
The low ridership has hit transit agencies' pocketbooks, with total operating revenues (excluding subsidies) of $145.5 million, which is down 60 per cent from September 2019.
“With a second wave of the pandemic currently washing over the country, transit agencies will face ongoing challenges into October and perhaps for months to come,” the Statistics Canada report stated.
In Metro Vancouver, the story is much the same. TransLink, the region's transit agency, reported 16.5 million boardings in September, compared to 39.6 million for that month in 2019, a 58 per cent decrease. Metro Vancouver saw its ridership plateau in July, August and September, with minimal increases. The lowest point for TransLink ridership was in April, with 6.4 million boardings, down from 36.4 million in April 2019.
The agency was unable to provide information about its September revenue.
September is usually a pretty busy month for transit because holidays are over and students resume studying.
D'Angelo said he hopes that B.C. Premier John Horgan, who acknowledged transit's essential role in COVID-19 recovery earlier this year, recognizes that there is a need for ongoing operational funding for transit.
“It's so important that our networks are safe and reliable, and that will need ongoing support from government until we're back to a more normal time for everybody,” D'Angelo said.