Grand River Transit ridership set to break records, additional services planned
Posted Sep 6, 2024 07:00:40 AM.
Last Updated Sep 6, 2024 07:00:46 AM.
The Region of Waterloo has been working to improve Grand River Transit (GRT) services, and those initiatives appear to be paying off.
Ridership numbers are rising above pre-pandemic levels, and could break records if the trend continues.
GRT busses and rail saw 6.5 million riders between April and June and 13.5 million in total for the year, an increase of almost 15 per cent year-over-year, and they see on-average roughly 125,000 boardings each day.
On-time performance is also up by just under 5 per cent compared to this quarter last year, and 74 per cent of trips arrive within three minutes of their scheduled stop.
The ION is the GRT’s best-performing and most-used route, followed by the Thomas Slee route, which runs between Conestoga College and Robert Ferrie Dr., and the Westmount route, which runs up and down the length of Westmount Rd. and Bleams Rd.
The township busses, including Breslau and Wilmot, are the least ridden routes.
The Region of Waterloo is planning additional service and route adjustments throughout the Fall to respond to the feedback they’ve received from riders.
Routes are coming to the Cambridge Business Park that will connect the area to the Region of Waterloo International Airport.
The late-night Route 91 which runs between Uptown Waterloo, the University District, and Downtown Kitchener will also continue to run, thanks in part to student advocates.
The Region of Waterloo forecasts more than 29 million boardings on GRT services by the end of 2024, which would break their all-time record once again.
