TransLink’s ridership numbers surged to an all-time high in 2016, just one performance highlight featured in the transportation authority’s new Accountability Centre, which launched on January 26.
Transit ridership in Metro Vancouver hit 384.83 million boardings in 2016, a 4.5 per cent increase from 362.92 million boardings in 2015 – which itself was also a record year. These boardings include Skytrain, Seabus, West Coast Express and Coast Mountain Bus Company services.
The significant ridership boost is driven partly by the growth of economic activity in Metro Vancouver, which was Canada’s fastest-growing metropolitan economy in 2016, and is experiencing its lowest unemployment rates since the 2007-2008 economic down turn.
“Ridership is one way we measure our success as a transit agency, and increasing the number of people on our system is something we’ve set as a core priority,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. “The 2016 numbers show us there is strong demand for public transportation options. They also underscore the need for the kind of boost in transit service we are beginning to see this year as we roll out Phase One of the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision for improving transportation in the Lower Mainland.”
Ridership numbers are one of 30 performance measures now being reported on TransLink’s new easy-to-navigate online Accountability Centre. The Accountability Centre includes TransLink’s performance on customer satisfaction, on-time performance of buses and SkyTrain, safety, environmental and fiscal management, and more.
Most of these measures have been routinely reported on the TransLink website and in its annual and statutory reports, but the Accountability Centre makes it possible to see TransLink’s priorities at a glance and how well TransLink is doing on each measure.
“We’re proud of the work we do here at TransLink, but we are always striving to improve and ensure we keep our focus on what’s important to our customers,” said Desmond. “The Accountability Centre ensures the public has an opportunity to see how well TransLink is operating and where it needs to make improvements.”
