Huge Ridership Drop Reported At Transit Windsor

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The City of Windsor and Transit Windsor have been monitoring and analyzing ridership figures since returning to front door boarding began in October 2020. As a result of the continuing pandemic, current ridership has been reduced by about 85% compared to pre-pandemic figures from January and February 2020.

The City says that the proposed 2021 City of Windsor Budget estimates that $21.1 million will be required to off-set the decline in ridership, lower fares, and higher costs related to personal protective equipment (PPE) cleaning.

In 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, the City of Windsor provided a taxpayer-funded transit levy of $13.6 million to help operate the municipal transit system.

As a result of the Safe Restart Agreement between the federal government and the Province of Ontario, Transit Windsor has been allocated over $19 million in Phase 1 and Phase 2 funding to support continued operations up to March 31st, 2021.

The City says without additional pandemic-related operating support to cover the balance of 2021 pressures due to COVID, the City of Windsor may have to review ongoing transit operations and schedules.

Transit Windsor says they will continue to operate on an enhanced Saturday service schedule, Monday through Saturday, until ridership figures indicate additional service is required. Sunday service will continue on the Sunday schedule.