Edmonton transit ridership growing faster than city population
Edmonton's transit system is seeing record usage, with six million trips taken in September.
From January to September of this year, ridership is up 14 per cent compared to 2023, according to the City of Edmonton.
The city expects to facilitate 60 million trips in 2024 between bus routes and the LRT, an increase from 53 million in 2023.
The Valley Line LRT route alone is responsible for two million trips between November 2023, when it opened, and August.
As of July 2023, Edmonton's population was up 4.1 per cent, the second highest growth rate in the country for cities with more than one million residents, according to Statistics Canada.
Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Montréal and Ottawa-Gatineau all experienced their fastest growth between July 2022 and 2023 since the 2001-2002 numbers.
"We’re working to make it easier for people to choose transit, and are excited to see this positive response," Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, Edmonton Transit Service branch manager, said.
"We’re thankful for our riders and the growth we’ve been experiencing."
In 2021, the city revamped the existing bus network to the current one.
- Edmonton Transit Service launches on demand service and redesigned bus routes
- 40 bus routes adjusted after rider feedback on changes
In 2023, the city added 120,000 service hours to the transit network. It also fully implemented the Arc fare system near the end of that year.
In September, the city saw ridership exceed six million trips taken for the first time, thanks in part to school resuming.
Since the beginning of the year, ridership has been up 12 per cent compared to pre pandemic numbers.
Edmonton has 120 regular bus routes, 50 school bus routes, three LRT lines and an on-demand transit service. Routes can be viewed and planned online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.
B.C. mayor's 'luxury' trip to Dubai climate conference was against ethics rules: commissioner
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone's all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai for a climate conference last December violated the city's Code of Conduct for Council Members and the Community Charter, the city's ethics commissioner has ruled.
Caught on camera: Edmonton police run over woman during welfare call
An Edmonton Police Service officer was caught on camera running over a woman with a marked cruiser last month.
Bradley Barton's sentence upheld by appeals court in 2011 death of Cindy Gladue
An appeal has been denied to extend the sentence of an Ontario trucker who killed a woman in his Edmonton hotel room in 2011.
Secret Service report offers new details on failures during Trump assassination attempt
A new Secret Service report into the July assassination attempt against former U.S. president Donald Trump said multiple staffers knew about clear line-of-sight risks but found them 'acceptable' and that farm equipment intended to obstruct the view from the nearby building where the gunman opened fire was never used.
Meet Decoy Ohtani, perhaps the most valuable pet of the World Series
The Dodgers' most valuable pet: Decoy Ohtani, dog of Shohei, has become a fixture of Dodgers — and dog — fandom.
B.C. landlord who evicted longtime tenant, hiked rent and re-listed unit ordered to pay $16K
A landlord from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who evicted a longtime tenant only to rent out the same unit months later for more money has been ordered to compensate him $16,480.