Last month, Grand River Transit announced that it set a new ridership record over the first week of September, but that was just the beginning of a record-breaking month.
GRT says there were 2.9 million customer trips last month, which is up 44 per cent from the previous September. It is also up 33 per cent over 2019, which was before the COVID-19 pandemic struck the area.
Customer trips take into account a person’s entire journey, whereas the boarding totals include every time someone sets foot on a public transit vehicle regardless of whether they pay a new fare or transfer.
Boardings were also up in September as people got on a bus or ION train 3.8 million times last month. On average the GRT sees 2.6 million boardings in a month.
“Residents rely on GRT to get to medical appointments, social events, work and home,” stated Regional Chair Karen Redman.
“As our region grows, transit plays an essential role in creating a more affordable, livable, and sustainable community.”
With the record amount of ridership, the GRT says it is keeping a close watch on customer counts to avoid overcrowding.
“Each day we’re working with our operations and fleet teams to make sure every available bus is on the road and any spares are helping with busy routes and locations,” Doug Spooner, director of transit services, said.
GRT says it is also considering service adjustments for 2024 to deal with the increased ridership.
“We’ll be bringing our plan for 2024 service directly to our customers to weigh in on in the coming weeks, including a service expansion plan of more than 50,000 hours,” Spooner said.