Calgary Transit sets new record for monthly riders, hitting 8.79M in March

Calgary Transit file photo

Calgary Transit set a new one-month ridership record in March, when close to eight million boardings were recorded, the city said in a media release Thursday.

After a strong surge in 2023, Calgary Transit ridership in the first quarter of 2024 increased 21 per cent, to 25.5 million trips.

That included 8, 792,500 in March, which eclipsed the previous record set in November 2014.

The city said increased demand and expanded off-peak service were factors in the strong showing.

“Calgary Transit customers have responded well to our service and safety investments over the past year.  Our commitment to providing safe, accessible and reliable transit service continues to build customer confidence in the services we provide,” said Calgary Transit director Sharon Fleming, in a release.

Calgary Transit plans to expand service in 2024 and 2025 to grow ridership, improve accessibility and improve the customer experience.

“Transit continues to prove itself as the backbone of Calgary’s mobility," Fleming said. "We look forward to continuing to meet growing demand by ramping up service frequency and coverage in 2024 to align with the RouteAhead goal of making transit a preferred travel choice for Calgarians."