Transit ridership grows through first quarter of 2017
The strong ridership trend seen in 2016 has continued through the first quarter of 2017. Transit ridership grew significantly compared to the same period of 2016. There has been a 5.6% increase in individual boardings, while the number of start-to-finish trips taken on transit (journeys) jumped by 5.1%.
The number of average weekday boardings for all modes of transit grew except West Coast Express.
- Expo/Millennium Line – up 13.8%
- Canada Line – up 7%
- Bus – up 4.6%
- SeaBus – up 3.6%
- West Coast Express – down 5.8%
Explanation for growth
Key factors which we believe have had the biggest impact on ridership growth include the following (not necessarily in order of how much of an impact they may have had):
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Transit service hours |
Increased service hours in 2017, including the addition of the Evergreen Line – more service hours traditionally leads to more ridership |
| Number of working days |
Two more working days in Q1 2017 compared to Q1 2016 – ridership is higher on weekdays than weekends |
| Weather (snow and rain) | There has been significant snowfall and sustained heavy rainfall throughout the winter in Q1 2017. While the impact of snow on transit ridership is unclear at this point (there may be a substitution effect between modes), we suspect that heavy rainfall results in a further substitution of modes from walking/cycling to transit, driving ridership upwards. Data from bicycle volume counts supports this theory (low volume counts in Q1 2017 compared to Q1 2016). |
| Fuel price | The price of gasoline and diesel adjusted for inflation is 15% higher on average in Q1 2017 compared to Q1 2016. This is likely to cause a substitution effect from private cars to transit |
| Transit fare price | While there has been no change in the price of transit fares in the past year, the price adjusted for inflation continues to decline over time (especially when compared to the rise in fuel prices above). This is a further reason why transit remains an attractive option. |
| Economic growth and activity |
A range of economic factors have also contributed to higher ridership growth:
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