OC Transpo ridership dips again after strongest month since pandemic began
OC Transpo’s ridership dipped in October, a month after achieving its highest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
New numbers from OC Transpo show there were 5.6 million customer trips in October, 58 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. That’s down from 5.7 million in September, which was the highest figure since March 2020.
September ridership represented 64 per cent of pre-pandemic levels (the service originally said 63 per cent, but said Thursday it has revised that to 64 per cent after more information about U-Pass use).
In a memo to council on Thursday, transit general manager Renee Amilcar attributed the drop to reduced transit use among university students.
“Both uOttawa and Carleton University had their reading weeks in October, which decreased the trip rates for U-Pass holders,” she said. “As the U-Pass is prepaid for the entire semester, the reading weeks do not affect fare revenue.”
OC Transpo revenue was $11.7 million in October, down slightly from $11.8 million in September.
That figure is 44 per cent higher than in October 2021, but still below the forecasted fare revenue of $17.5 million in the 2022 budget.
But the ongoing ridership issues have transit advocates calling for an overhaul of the system.
“I think it’s time to have lots of options on the table,” Laura Shantz of Ottawa Transit Riders told CTV News. “Not everyone is travelling from the suburbs to a downtown office five days a week, and going in at rush hour and coming back in rush hour in the evening.”
“We need to think about other destinations that are important to our communities, and how we can provide that really good service that people need, that makes OC Transpo a first choice instead of a last choice.”
OC Transpo is projecting an $85 million deficit this year, largely due to lower-than-anticipated ridership. Earlier this week the Ford government pledged more than $63 million to help cover the deficit.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING Critical injuries to 7 people in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash
Ontario Provincial Police say seven people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont.
Barron Trump selected to be a Florida delegate at Republican National Convention
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, was selected by the Florida GOP as an at-large delegate for Florida at the Republican National Convention, according to a list of delegates obtained by CNN.