TransLink ridership recovery now reaching up to 80% of normal volumes

SkyTrain Canada Line (Shutterstock)

Ridership recovery on Metro Vancouver’s public transit system has further recovered to a new high as of earlier in June.

TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn provided a ridership update today during the public transit authority’s board of directors meeting, noting average weekend ridership has recovered to 80% of pre-pandemic volumes — up from 75% a month earlier.

Furthermore, average weekday volumes are now 70.3% of pre-pandemic volumes.

You might also like:

“We are continuing to welcome customers back to the system with some encouraging numbers,” said Quinn.

“This is the first time that weekday journeys have surpassed 70%.”

He says a combination of factors such as good weather and events are driving the new recovery levels, noting the BC Lions’ home opener day saw over 10,000 boardings at Stadium-Chinatown Station, the SkyTrain station that directly serves BC Place Stadium. It represented a 125% increase compared to a non-event Saturday afternoon.

Overall, with weekdays and weekends combined, TransLink’s systemwide ridership is currently at 72% of pre-pandemic volumes.

TransLink ridership fluctuations:
- April 2020: 17% of pre-pandemic
- September 2020: 41% of pre-pandemic
- November 2020: 44% of pre-pandemic
- September 2021: 55% of pre-pandemic
- January 2022: 60% of pre-pandemic
- February 2022: 64.5% of pre-pandemic
- May 2022: 70% of pre-pandemic
- June 2022: 72% of pre-pandemic

You might also like: