More people are jumping on the West Coast Express as part of a May ridership increase that has TransLink talking about the need for more investment in public transit
May ridership smashed records, said a press release from the transit authority, as monthly boardings nine per cent over last May. Customers are taking advantage of new transit service added as part of the 10-year vision, and ridership has reached a new all-time high, with the brief period when Vancouver hosted the 2010 Olympic Winter Games being the only time ridership has been so high.
“New service and capacity is being used as fast as we can get it out there,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond.
“This kind of growth isn’t being seen anywhere else in Canada and the United States. Ridership growth like this proves there’s a great deal of latent demand for transit and we are working to satisfy it.”
The West Coast Express say boardings in May up 6.7 per cent, and the year-to-date growth rate is also 6.7 per cent.
And ridership grew across all modes:
• Bus: Average weekday boardings for May are up 9.5 per cent, while growth year to date is 6.9 per cent.
• SkyTrain: May’s Expo/Millennium Line average weekday boardings are up 9.2 per cent, while Canada Line’s grew by 8.1 per cent. Expo, Millennium and Canada Line boardings combined for the year so far are up 5.7 per cent.
• SeaBus: Average weekday boardings increased by 13.1 per cent, thanks in part to frequency increases in the evening launched a year ago. Year to date, boardings are up 7.6 per cent.
More people are choosing transit due to Phase One improvements across the system, persistent high gas prices and lasting employment growth, says TransLink.
Phase Two of the vision will deliver:
• Construction of light rail in Surrey, the Millennium Line Broadway Extension in Vancouver and planning and design for Surrey-Langley rapid transit.
• New bus service across the region including B-Lines in Richmond and Surrey.
• New buses and SkyTrain cars to increase frequency and capacity.
Mayor Derek Corrigan, Chair of the Mayors’ Council, said recent funding commitments by the provincial and federal governments to the Phase Two Plan will help the region respond to this surging ridership.
“These investments will ensure people living here have transit as an affordable option for getting to work, shopping, and visiting family and friends.”