GRT records busiest month ever

Waterloo Region – Grand River Transit (GRT) had its busiest month ever in September, with ridership peaking at 2.9 million customer trips. Ridership is up 33 per cent over September 2019, and 44 per cent over 2022.

Boardings are also way up. In September, boardings were 43 per cent higher than the average month this year, hitting 3.8 million. An average month for GRT is 2.6 million boardings. A boarding is counted when someone steps on a GRT bus or ION train for a trip.

“Residents rely on GRT to get to medical appointments, social events, work and home,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “As our region grows, transit plays an essential role in creating a more affordable, liveable, and sustainable community.”

With more people riding transit than ever, GRT is making adjustments and taking steps to plan for the future.

“We’re closely monitoring customer counts and overcrowding to see how we can manage the transit experience for our customers,” said Doug Spooner, Director of Transit Services. “Each day we’re working with our operations and fleet teams to make sure every available bus is on the road and any spares are helping with busy routes and locations.”

Service adjustments are also being planned for next year.

“We’ll be bringing our plan for 2024 service directly to our customers to weigh in on in the coming weeks, including a service expansion plan of more than 50,000 hours,” said Spooner.

The plan is subject to Regional Council approval as part of the 2024 budget process.

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