TTC ridership could linger below pre-pandemic levels for at least another two years: report
TTC ridership will remain below pre-pandemic levels for at least the next two years as a reduced number of workers commuting downtown continues to wreak havoc on the transit system’s bottom line.
At one point earlier in the pandemic TTC ridership dropped by 88 per cent amid widespread business closures.
It has risen since then but is still only at 45 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, costing the TTC hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lost revenue.
A report that was presented to the TTC board on Wednesday suggests that while ridership is expected to rise to 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, it could take years until it fully recovers.
The report says that right now various modelling scenarios suggest that TTC ridership will linger between 69 per cent and 93 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by late 2022. It says that ridership will be between 81 and 95 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by late 2023 with no clear timeline for when it will reach 100 per cent due to uncertainty around the return of workers to downtown offices.
“Supporting ridership return is not business as usual. We need new initiatives and we need continual understanding of the needs of our customer,” the report notes, mentioning road tolls and fees and parking prices as things that could be considered to boost public transit ridership post-pandemic.
Ridership could hit 70 per cent of pre-pandemic level in 2022
The TTC lost $704 million in fare box revenue in 2020 and is expected to face another significant shortfall this year as many employees continue to work remotely, at least part of the time.
The report says that staff are optimistic that ridership can recover to 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels sometime in early 2022 but it acknowledges that hitting such a target would be conditional upon office occupancy downtown being back at 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
It currently stands at about nine per cent of pre-pandemic levels and a survey of “strategic decision makers from organizations with offices and worksites” conducted by the TTC found that nearly half expect their companies to consider “major changes to their office space and worksite” post pandemic.
“Work from home is biggest variable and downtown return is key to not only subway and streetcar use, but also 30 to 40 per cent of bus ridership,” the report notes.
The TTC is among the most reliant on fare revenue of any transit service in North America with nearly 70 per cent of its budget pre-pandemic coming from the fare box.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.