Transit ridership remains steady
OC Transpo ridership is holding steady.
Ridership in October was 5.6 million customer-trips or 58% of the pre-pandemic level. It is lower than the 64% realized in September.
There was an impact to the trip rates for U-Pass holders. Both uOttawa and Carleton University had their reading weeks in October.
Fare revenue for the month of October was $11.7 million. This is down from $11.8 million in September but is an increase of 44% compared to October 2021. However, Para Transpo fare revenue in October 2022 was $156,200.It is an increase from $149,900 in September and an increase of 8% from the previous year.
The previous ridership memo released last month indicated that September ridership was 63% of pre-pandemic levels. Based on additional information regarding U-Pass use, staff recalculated the September 2022 numbers and found ridership was 64 % of pre-pandemic levels.
Bus Operator recruitment continues
OC Transpo aims to increase bus reliability for our customers and prepare for future needs. To do this, we launched a Bus Operator recruitment campaign earlier this year. The goal was to hire between 250 and 300 Bus Operators by the end of 2022.
By early December, a total of 290 Bus Operator trainees will have been hired, meeting the 2022 target. By the end of the year, more than 170 trainees will have successfully completed their training program and will be on the road.
OC Transpo is very pleased with the response to our recruitment campaign. We are proud of the rigorous training processes we have in place. We ensure only the best candidates for this safety-critical position are successful.
An additional 40 Bus Operators are expected to graduate in January 2023. We will continue our recruitment effort to:
- further improve service reliability,
- prepare for future retirements,
- and support the expansion of the Stage 2 Light Rail Transit system.
Bus service reliability remains high and is continuing to improve. Thanks to a full complement of vehicles and the hiring of new Bus Operators.
Staff will continue to monitor and report on ridership levels and on ridership recovery trends.
Happy commuting!