Urban public transit, July 2020
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Released: 2020-09-30
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country's bus, train and subway activity was apparent in July. On a year-over-year basis, the number of transit passengers fell by 65.5% to 50.8 million passenger trips. However, July ridership numbers signalled an ongoing recovery from previous months: June (37.9 million), May (27.4 million) and April (24.9 million).
With ridership lower year over year, the total operating revenues (excluding subsidies) of urban transit agencies also dropped from the previous year, down 69.7% to $103.6 million in July.
In subsequent reference months, transit operators should attract additional ridership as more businesses reopen and then students begin returning to school. However, the extent of this recovery will depend on the course of the pandemic.
Chart 1
Urban public transit operating revenue and passenger trips
Note to readers
Data for the most recent quarter are subject to revision. The data in this release are not seasonally adjusted.
This survey collects data on operating revenue (excluding subsidies) and the number of passenger trips from a panel of urban transit companies that represents at least 75% of revenues in each province and territory. Users should note that the panel is adjusted annually to maintain the 75% coverage and could differ slightly from what it was in the same month a year earlier.
Caution should also be used when comparing values prior to January 2017 with more recent values, as the number of sampled companies changed significantly. Data prior to January 2017 can be found in Table 23-10-0078-01.
The Transportation Data and Information Hub, a web portal developed jointly by Statistics Canada and Transport Canada, provides Canadians with online access to comprehensive statistics and measures on the country's transportation sector.
Contact information
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