Back to SearchIn 2023, Durham Region Transit (DRT) achieved success, navigated challenges and focused on the route ahead. Our record-breaking ridership levels — especially this fall — exceeded pre-pandemic levels. What does this mean?
We’re talking about 1.5 million monthly passengers, three of our PULSE routes accounting for 40 per cent of boardings and On Demand service that has become so popular with employees of a major distribution company in north Whitby that we now need scheduled service on Conlin Road.
We’re providing record levels of transit service across the region.
These record-breaking numbers are all because of you — our customers — and we thank you for riding with us in 2023! Our mission is to deliver an efficient and convenient transit network in the most sustainable way possible. Yes, we have a lot to celebrate. More ridership is excellent news. But we acknowledge our current reliability challenges, resulting from increasing traffic congestion and limited capacity on several routes. Customers are experiencing longer wait times at bus stops, and some need to wait for the next bus because the bus that passed their stop was full.
That’s why we needed to find a way to improve the transit experience for the greatest number of customers.
During fall 2023, all planned and budgeted service was scheduled and on the street. We realized we needed to find solutions within the existing network to improve reliability and capacity on the busiest routes. The DRT Service Design team had to be innovative to find various solutions across the transit network. We looked at on-time performance. We evaluated service availability. We measured ridership and route performance. We considered DRT’s service guidelines and social equity commitments.
And, throughout the process, it became clear that we would need to suspend service on the lowest-performing routes and reallocate resources to areas of pressure on the network. We truly regret the impacts to those customers affected by the suspension of lower-performing routes. However, to retain and maximize transit ridership within our allocated budget, resources need to be allocated to areas of greatest benefit for the greatest number of customers.
Some people have asked if the fire we experienced in August has impacted service levels on the street. The answer is no. DRT has managed to meet the bus requirements throughout the fall by adjusting processes, improving performance and leveraging buses loaned to DRT by the Toronto Transit Commission.
After a thorough review of the network, it was decided that — effective Jan. 2, 2024 — DRT will be changing some of our routes.
Network optimization will include the restructuring of several routes, suspension of service on lowest ridership and performing routes, new or replacement service for more frequently travelled routes and a reduction in some route frequencies. These decisions will improve reliability and increase capacity on key routes across Durham Region. The changes are needed to maximize transit ridership and improve on-time performance. We sincerely regret the impact to those customers affected by the suspension of routes with lower ridership.
Some route numbers have changed or may require people to use a different bus stop. Some customers may need to walk a little bit farther to reach their stop. We know this isn’t ideal. But these service changes are needed for transit to maximize transit service, within our existing service guidelines and budget. This will also help improve connections on select routes and adjust for service demands. And On Demand is available to support.
All residents will continue to have access to DRT services, but it may be different than last fall. We will continue to deliver 24-7 service. And we are committed to meeting the social equity guidelines we have in place, including service for older adults and access to health-care institutions.
The reallocation of scheduled service will not impact existing On Demand service. Some of the changes in January include new services within On Demand areas experiencing high ridership, including north Whitby and local Uxbridge destinations; updates to improve connectivity with GO Train service ; and Routes 409, NEW 419, NEW 605, PULSE 901, 920, NEW 921 and others, will improve reliability and increase available capacity.
Please visit January 2024 Service Updates — Durham Region Transit to learn more, or to review the full list of impacted routes.
We truly want to meet the public transit demand across our communities, and we need to grow our transit services to do so. Thank you for your understanding during this period of record demand for public transit. Your support of DRT and our employees is appreciated as we allocate services for the greatest benefit to the greatest number of customers.
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