London Transit ridership recovery stalls, so focus of service improvement shifts to bus frequency

(Daryl Newcombe / CTV News)

London, Ont. -

Seeking to woo back riders, London Transit Commission (LTC) is poised to boost the frequency of buses on many of its routes.

In a report, administration recommends the 2022 Service Improvement Plan focus on system-wide enhancements to frequency rather than targeted improvements to specific routes.

Nine of the busiest routes would add a total of 27,564 hours of service next year, including improved service to some industrial areas.

General Manager Kelly Paleczny says the proposal would closely align the service changes with the LTC’s Pandemic Response Plan.

“Part of that Pandemic Response Plan is to look at service improvements that will be the most broad-based, and would have the most potential to attract riders back to the system,” explained Paleczny.

Since September ridership recovery has stalled at just below 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

“Takes me almost an hour to get from one place to another because I have to take two buses,” explained regular LTC rider, Pat Markle.

While waiting to transfer, Markle tells CTV News that more frequent and reliable service might convince existing riders to use the bus system more often.

Paleczny says local ridership is actually better than many comparable transit services, and the draft service improvements are designed with further recovery in mind.

“People who have found alternative modes of transportation during the pandemic may now look back at transit and say, hey, this has improved from what it was pre-pandemic, and this is now a viable option for me,” she adds.

Improvements to bus frequency next year will also rely on the ability to put enough buses on each route.

LTC continues to face supply chain related shortages of replacement parts that have temporarily forced 16 buses off the road.

Paleczny has been told parts shortages should ease early in the new year, but she is closely monitoring London transit’s ability to train enough drivers to replace numerous retirements on the horizon.

“What really hangs in the balance will be our ability to onboard the required operators to put in the service improvements.”

LTC will discuss the recommended frequency improvements at its Nov. 24 meeting.