 | Cornwall Transit continues to make big ridership gains as a growing number of residents hop on board the bus.
Cornwall Transit provided a total of 787,499 paid rides on its conventional and Handi-Transit services last year, up from a total of 743,090 in 2010. | |
Cornwall - January 25, 2012 - Cornwall Transit continues to make big ridership gains as a growing number of residents hop on board the bus.
Ridership on the City-run service has increased steadily for the past six years, and 2011 was no exception.
Cornwall Transit provided a total of 787,499 paid rides on its conventional and Handi-Transit services last year, up from a total of 743,090 in 2010. The conventional bus service accounted for 750,394 of the paid rides in 2011.
"These figures are quite encouraging," said Councillor Andre Rivette, a member of the City's Transit Committee. "More and more people are discovering the fact that Cornwall Transit is an affordable, convenient and accessible mode of transportation."
Transit Division Manager Len Tapp said the ridership increase in 2011 can be attributed in part to new residents trying out the service.
"Our bus drivers are seeing an influx of new faces on the buses," Mr. Tapp said.
According to Mr. Tapp, there are a number of factors that have contributed to the increase in ridership over the last several years, including the return to a 30-minute service in 2008, the purchase of new low-floor buses and numerous other enhancements to the system.
"The return to a 30-minute service was the biggest factor," Mr. Tapp said. "It has made our conventional bus service more efficient and convenient for residents."
Cornwall Transit will be making a series of adjustments to its routes and services on February 27th in order to better serve residents.
Some of the changes include:
- Expansion of the Brookdale and Cumberland routes to service the new Brookdale Square Plaza on Tollgate Road.
- Adjustments to the Riverdale route, including direct access to the commercial area at Pitt and Ninth Streets.
- The merging of the two Community Bus routes into one community service.
- Extension of the Industrial routes by 1 hour.
In the lead-up to the changes, Cornwall Transit personnel will be travelling on buses to speak with passengers and answer questions about the route enhancements. Cornwall Transit will also be offering free rides on February 27th to give riders a chance to try out the enhanced service.
"I think people are going to be very pleased with the changes," said Jason Setnyk, the Chair of the Transit Committee. "These enhancements will improve the connections between Cornwall Transit and the destinations that residents need to get to."
On March 1st, Cornwall Transit will be increasing cash fares by 25 cents, while monthly passes and 10-Ride Cards will increase by $2 and Family Day Passes will rise by 50 cents.
"These increases are necessary in order to maintain a viable service," said Mr. Tapp. "Our fares and fees compare quite favourably to a number of other similar-sized public transit systems in Ontario."
For more information on Cornwall Transit, please visit www.Cornwall.ca.
About Cornwall Transit
Cornwall Transit operates 6 conventional bus routes, a Community Bus Service and 46 daily hours of Handi-Transit service, along with morning and evening service to the Cornwall Business Park. There are more than 240 Cornwall Transit bus stops located throughout the City, allowing citizens to travel to most locations around Cornwall within 30 minutes.
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