Today, we’re releasing the findings of the 2017 Transit Network Performance Review (TSPR), which is like a report card on transit service! It’s an annual comprehensive review of ridership and service productivity for bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain and West Coast Express.

What’s special about 2017’s TSPR is its the first since we began implementing improvements outlined in Phase One of the Mayors’ Council’s 10-Year Vision. These investments helped propel Metro Vancouver transit to a record year with 407 million boardings across the system, a 5.7 per cent increase over the previous year!

The TSPR gives us valuable information to plan a better transit system. The 2015 review helped TransLink develop the Phase One Investment Plan in 2016, and the 2017 review shows these changes are working:

• Bus: Overcrowding has dropped 13 per cent on 18 overcrowded routes after additional service was added.
• SeaBus: Increased frequency helped boost weekday evening ridership by 34 per cent and Saturday morning ridership by 35 per cent.
• SkyTrain: Average weekday boardings were up 12.5 per cent in the fall following capacity increases. Capacity was boosted on Expo and Millennium Lines (2.5 per cent on weekdays and 12 per cent on weekends) and Canada Line (11 per cent on weekdays).

West Coast Express saw a ridership decline of 5.5 per cent. This is due to a change in customer behaviour following the opening of the Millennium Line Evergreen Extension, which prompted Port Moody and Coquitlam customers to move to SkyTrain.

The 2017 TSPR shows improvements are still needed. The 25, 100 and 319 routes, which are among the top 10 most-crowded routes in 2017, are receiving service increases made available through Phase One of the 10-Year Vision to reduce overcrowding.

Once approved, Phase 2 of the 10-Year Vision unlocks even more new funding. This report will shape how these new resources can be applied to further reduce crowding, increase frequency and expand to new areas.

Want to learn more? Read the full 2017 Transit Network Performance Review at translink.ca/tspr.