Durham transit announces ridership recovery plan
By Courtney Bachar/The Oshawa Express/LJI Reporter
Durham Region Transit (DRT) has announced its ridership recovery plan.
The recovery plan, which was recently presented to the transit executive committee, is a multi-phase plan which will introduce a new transit network designed to meet current and projected customer demands.
According to DRT Deputy General Manager Christopher Norris, between April and June 2020, 70 per cent fewer customers used the service compared to the same time frame last year.
“How customers travel has changed,” says Norris. “Gone are the typical weekday morning and afternoon peak periods as residents adjust to new work-from-home arrangements.”
DRT’s ridership plan will roll out in three phases.
Michael Binetti, supervisor of service design for DRT, says each phase will be deployed upon reaching triggers based on ridership benchmarks, says Phase A of the ridership recovery plan represents 67 per cent revenue hours compared to January 2020 service. Phase B represents about 76 per cent of the January 2020 service, while Phase C represents 92 per cent of the January 2020 service.
“The revised network provides transit service that is frequent, and is available from early morning to late night to make it flexible to travel with DRT,” says Binetti.
The plan includes three base services of the network: frequent service with 15-minute or better service on high demand corridors all week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 30-minute service at other times; a grid service with 30-minute or better service all week where demand warrants; and an on-demand service available where demand is lowest to connect customers with the frequent and grid services, as well as other nearby destinations.
In Phase B, Binetti says the estimated ridership demand will warrant introduction of local service during periods of high demand, noting ridership is continually being monitored. In Plan C, it is estimated that post-secondary and GO transit markets will have started to recover.
“To meet these demands, additional local routes will be implemented to meet peak period travel demand and on-demand zones, as well as provide additional capacity and travel options to post-secondary institutions,” says Binetti.
Binetti says the first transition into Phase A of the ridership recovery plan is projected to begin on Monday, Aug. 10, 2020.
“A lot of people in the region have seen their daily routines change – including alternative work arrangements and virtual classrooms,” says Durham Regional Chair John Henry. “The phased-in approach in the Service Restoration Plan takes into consideration a lot of data, ridership trends and patterns, as well as on-street observations. Getting the region moving safely is important as we continue with Phase 2 of the provincial reopening plan.”