Metrobus looking for answers after surge in ridership last year

Metrobus is surveying passengers to understand why ridership is booming and whether that trend is going to continue.

Last year, ridership was 45 per cent higher than it was before the pandemic.

That equates to about 5 million rides, versus 3 million in 2019.

The St. John's bus service has enlisted the help of MQO Research to determine if the boost was an anomaly or whether it should be preparing for even more riders in the future, and to see where there might be room for improvement.

General manager Judy Powell said the service wants to be prepared for continued growth.

"We will be looking at the travel patterns, and [areas] we need to focus on," she said.

"Certainly we know where the overcrowding is, and where the busiest routes are. So we're going to be looking at population growth expectations, immigration patterns, all those kinds of things."

Metrobus expects to get the results of its research by the end of February, but no changes will be implemented before 2025.

Judy Powell, the general manager of Metrobus, says the cost of living may be contributing to increased ridership. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

Powell pointed to several possible factors contributing to the surge, including the rising cost of living, high gas prices and a growing number of new Canadians coming from areas where public transit is a regular part of everyday life.

It's a good problem to have, but doesn't come without its challenges.

"It takes time to respond to this type of rapid growth, and to acquire funding for buses," Powell said.

"The lead time through the procurement process and delivery could be up to 18 months, and with federal funding and ridership growth across the country, there's a huge demand on buses now."

Ebenazer Sabu takes the Metrobus to Memorial University and to work every day. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

Ebenazer Sabu is one of the thousands of people who ride Metrobus every day to get to work and school.

Story continues

He likes that it's affordable and close to home, but he has a few suggestions for improving the service.

"Sometimes it has to be more frequent, not only in the busier hours," Sabu said.

Manog Poudal wants to see more commuter service to other communities around the northeast Avalon.

"In Paradise, there is very little service. Actually I think there are only two buses in Paradise, and in Conception Bay there are no buses."

Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.