Public transit ridership in Toronto continued to stagnate well below pre-pandemic levels in May, a new report shows.
A regular report from the Toronto Transit Commission, which will be considered by its board at a meeting on July 14, said Toronto’s passenger numbers in May stood at 61 percent of their pre-pandemic level.
A total of 24.7 million trips were recorded on the TTC between May 1 and May 28, an increase of 4.4 percent compared to the previous month, according to the report.
Ontario lifted many COVID-19 restrictions in March, and mask mandates in transit were abolished on June 11.
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While the number of trips remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels, the number of passengers has increased through 2022. In January, revenue trips stood at 37 percent of pre-pandemic levels, rising to 61 percent in May.
“This recovery in ridership has been driven by the resumption of special events and festivals, an increase in in-person post-secondary learning, and a gradual, hybrid return to the office,” the report said.
The vast majority of cyclists are classified as infrequent or occasional.
Occasional and infrequent cyclists on the TTC, defined as those who tap five to eight times and one to four times per week respectively, accounted for 81 percent of recorded trips in May.
Frequent flyers, those who touch down nine times or more per week and monthly pass holders, were responsible for just 19 percent of trips.
Before COVID-19, regular flyers accounted for 32% of revenue-earning trips, compared to 68% for infrequent flyers.
The TTC expects ridership “to continue to increase across all modes,” but noted the potential for disruption caused by future waves of COVID-19.
“The TTC has seen a steady increase in ridership over the past few months and we expect this upward trend to continue in September,” CEO Richard Leary wrote in the report’s introduction.
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