Transit users aren’t worried about transit fares as it was ranked last in the survey, but would rather want to see that bus services becomes more frequent, and reliable, especially during peak travel times.
The City of Whitehorse has received feedbacks from more than 900 Whitehorse residents, including First Nations governments, community groups, and nonprofit organizations over the free fare program survey carried out in January.
The results from the cities Free Fare Transit survey shows that transit users aren’t worried about transit fares as it was ranked last in the survey, but would rather want to see that bus services becomes more frequent, and reliable, especially during peak travel times.
Whitehorse Mayor Laura Cabott told the press that the study was prompted by the increased ridership the city observed when it dropped bus fares following the 2022 landslide closure of Robert Service Way.
According to Cabott, the survey results showed that how often the bus comes, the time of day that it arrives and service reliability were the top three concerns for respondents. Fare-free options were explored, but Cabott said the city found that these would reduce fare revenues and impact investments in improving the service.
She said potential riders won’t see transit as a viable alternative if it isn’t a reliable and reasonably quick way to get around the city.
When it comes to service options, Cabott said the study found that while service enhancements would add to the cities operating costs, those costs could be offset by a boost in revenue from high ridership. Also, of course, it would increase the frequency, the overall travel times and the quality of our service,” the mayor said.
According to a media release, the city of Whitehorse will continue to invest in its transit system as planned by increasing the number of buses in its fleet by 25%, increasing service hours by 35% including Sundays, holidays, and peak travel times, and route improvements.
February 2024 saw the third highest ridership in Whitehorse transit history, demonstrating the important role of transit. The city remains committed to prioritizing transit investments, ensuring accessibility, reliability, and frequency for our ridership.
The full Free Fare Study is available at EngageWhitehorse.ca/free-transit-study
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