Transit ridership up, possible fare increases on the horizon
Three-quarters of the way through 2018, transit ridership in the Battlefords remains on an upward trend and is on track for two per cent growth year-over-year.
As of September 30, 19,922 rides were recorded, compared to 19,585 at the same time in 2017, about a one per cent jump. In 2017, a total of 25,987 rides were reported on the transit network.
Transit manager Paul Robertson is pleased with the steady growth, noting a desire for two to three per cent annually. Robertson took over the position in May 2017 and helped bump ridership by 7.4 per cent by year-end. He credited this to various administrative, public relations and costs saving measures after a long-time manager retired.
“I am in an industry where continual improvement is a must,” he said. “It is like running the mile in under a minute, no one thought it was possible but they gradually got faster and faster.”