While still lower than before the pandemic, Toronto’s transit ridership is still recovering

Key Takeaways:

A recent analysis shows that transit use in Toronto stayed stable in May and was still significantly lower than it was before the outbreak.
Frequent users—those who tap 9 times or more each week and those with monthly passes—took only 19% of the rides.

According to a new assessment, transit usage in Toronto remained stagnant in May and was still well below pre-pandemic levels.

According to a regular report from the Toronto Transit Commission, which will be discussed by its board at a meeting on July 14, ridership in Toronto was 61% of what it was prior to the pandemic.

Between May 1 and May 28, the TTC logged 24.7 million rides in total, up 4.4% from the prior month, according to the study.

In March, Ontario lifted numerous COVID-19 limitations. On June 11, transit mask requirements were also lifted.

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While the number of rides has increased through 2022, it is still far below pre-pandemic levels. Revenue rides were 37% of pre-pandemic levels in January and increased to 61% in May.

According to the report, the reintroduction of festivals and special events, the growth of on-campus post-secondary education, and a slow, hybrid return to work have all contributed to the increase in passengers.

The great majority of riders fall into the category of occasional or infrequent users.

81% of TTC rides in May were classified as occasional or infrequent, which are defined as individuals who tap on five to eight times or once to four times each week, respectively.

Transit ridership in Toronto is still lower than it was before the outbreak. **Image from The Star**

Only 19% of rides were taken by frequent users, defined as those who tap nine times or more each week and monthly pass holders.

Prior to COVID-19, regular riders took up 32% of revenue rides while infrequent users made up 68%.

The TTC emphasized the potential for interruption brought on by the next COVID-19 waves despite anticipating that ridership “would continue to climb across all modes.”

According to CEO Richard Leary, “The TTC has seen a steady rise in its ridership for the past few months, and we are expecting its upward trend to continue in September.”

Source: Global News

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