Surging TransLink ridership matches levels last seen during 2010 Olympics

TransLink says transit ridership in Metro Vancouver has hit an all-time high for regular service, posting numbers that have only been matched during the 2010 Olympics.

In the month of May, more than 38 million people boarded transit, up nine per cent from the same month the year before.

So far this year, there have been 176 million boardings on either a bus, SkyTrain, Seabus, HandyDART or the West Coast Express, up from 165 million this time last year.

In a statement, TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond attributed the climbing numbers to increases in service brought in as a part of Phase One of the TransLink Mayors’ Council’s 10-year plan.

Ridership on all modes of transit have climbed, according to the transportation agency.

Bus rides were up 9.5 per cent year-over-year for May, and nearly 7 per cent year to date, while Expo, Millennium and Canada Line SkyTrain Boardings are up 5.7 per cent year to date.

SeaBus ridership has jumped significantly since TransLink added more frequent sailings. Average weekday boardings in May jumped more than 13 per cent over the same month last year, while year to date boardings are up 7.6 per cent.

And even the West Coast Express saw growth. TransLink says boardings were up more than 6.7 per cent both for May and year to date. That’s in contrast to 2017, when the service saw a 5.5 per cent drop in ridership.

Phase Two of the Mayors’ transit plan will involve the construction of light rail transit (LRT) for Surrey and a subway along Broadway in Vancouver.

It will also include the purchase of more SkyTrain cars and an expansion of bus and HandyDART service.