TORONTO — The Toronto Transit Commission is celebrating its 30 billionth rider today.
TTC Chair Josh Colle and CEO Andy Byford were on hand at Davisville Station Monday to welcome the transit authority’s landmark customer — Grant Scott.
As a reward for being the 30 billionth rider, Scott was gifted a Metropass good for one year.
“Our statisticians worked out the day we would carry our 30 billionth rider,” Byford said.
“We determine that should be a Metropass user because our Metropass users are the backbone really of our loyal patronage and that’s how we came to choose Grant.”
Scott said being the milestone customer was an honour, adding he’s been a frequent TTC user for more than two decades.
“I was just going on holiday and they left a message for me … it was a surprise.” Scott said.
“Since I’ve moved here 26 years ago, I’ve had either a yearly pass or a monthly pass.”
A ceremony and celebration is planned at the collector booth during the noon hour.
“This is in honour and recognizing his loyalty to the TTC as well as our many other riders,” Colle said.
“There will be many more announcements like this.”
TTC ridership has grown for 11 years in a row and 2014 saw a record amount of users with 535 million rides, surpassing its previous all-time total of 525 million set in 2013.
The TTC had projected a new annual record ridership of 545 million in 2015, and ridership has increased each year for the last 11 years.
Byford also addressed questions on Bombardier’s streetcar delays, saying the Canadian company has re-confirmed a delivery ramp up that would see one new streetcar every seven days, starting this fall.
“We are going to hold them to that,” Byford said.
“We expect to see the ramp up happen and we expect to see these new streetcars the norm on our routes from the end of this year.”
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