Regional ridership up 12 per cent
Sep 06, 2008 - 04:30 AM
By Reka Szekely
DURHAM -- As the price at the pumps soars, Durham residents are joining their fellow Canadians in migrating to public transit.
Pickering resident and student Amira Rezkalla said gas prices are affecting her decision to use the bus. She has a car, but opts to grab a Durham Region Transit (DRT) bus to the UOIT campus.
“I just won’t take my car if there’s a bus going straight to school,” she said.
Ms. Rezkalla is not alone in considering public transit. A recent survey from the Canadian Urban Transit Association and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities found 60 per cent of Canadians are rethinking their transportation choices in the wake of soaring gas prices. One in five survey respondents said they’ve switched or are thinking of switching to public transit.
Locally, DRT reports a 12.4-per-cent increase in ridership in July over the same period last year. Part of the growth can be attributed to more and more people taking local buses to the GO stations.
“To date we’ve seen an 18 per cent increase in GO commuter rides since January,” said Ted Galinis, general manager for DRT.
And not only are commuters opting for public transit, almost a quarter say they’re driving less.
Oshawa resident Cheryl Legault does a bit of both. She gets dropped off at the Ajax GO station and then takes the train to work.
“I used to drive in and back and it just got too nuts to commute,” she said. Ms. Legault also said she takes fewer trips to the Lindsay or Peterborough area to visit family since prices shot up.
Ajax resident Ankit Malhorta also has a car and opts for public transportation. He said taking the GO bus to work saves him a little bit of money. Although he’s opted for a smaller car, insurance, gas prices and maintenance all add up.
“I just take the bus because it’s a little more convenient. It picks me up and drops me at work,” he said.
He grabs a ride to the bus station with his brother, who works in Ajax.
“My whole family carpools, my parents take the GO train, I take the bus,” said Mr. Malhorta.
With rising prices at the pumps, DRT is planning on seizing the opportunity to get more people riding the bus through an ad campaign directed at commuters who fill up GO parking lots.
“The marketing we’re going to be doing (says) for the cost of a litre of gas, $1.30, we can get you to and from the GO train station,” said Mr. Galinis. Under the co-fare system, GO ticket holders pay $0.65 per ride to the station.
“If people haven’t turned to transit yet, now’s a good time to take a look, we’re the cheaper alternative and we’re the environmentally friendly alternative.”
Ajax resident Vicky Savas is already sold. She doesn’t drive and has no plans to start.
“Just with the price of gas, cars, insurance, the time on the road, I’d rather take the bus.”
Recommend :
Latest News
Seven Durham-connected homicides in 2008DURHAM -- The deaths of an Oshawa woman and her young son at the hands of a man who was later shot dead by police marked the sixth and seventh homicides involving a Durham ...
Youngest child of Leslie Kelly diesOSHAWA -- The three-year-old boy injured in a shocking attack on his family last Saturday in south Oshawa has passed away.
Durham ...
United Way half-way to targetDURHAM -- With the end of the campaign looming, the United Way is half-way to its goal of $1.75 million. Fundraising campaign chairman John G. Smith said $889,000 had been ...
Growth plan debate heats upDURHAM -- It will have to be a quick, fierce debate on how Durham should grow as the June deadline for Durham to complete its plan draws closer. The Region is working on ...
Tense stand-off results in arrestOSHAWA -- Police officers responding to a report of a drunk driver found themselves in a tense stand-off with a man who held a knife to his own throat Monday afternoon. Police...
Ajax makes changes to stop sign requirementsAJAX -- With a little tweaking, the method used to decide if stop signs should be installed has been updated. While councillors will have the final say, the all-way stop ...
Three sought in Sam's Club heistPICKERING -- Three suspects are being sought in the theft of an estimated $50,000 worth of cigarettes from the Pickering Sam's Club outlet early Monday. A worker was ...
For sale by owner: Tiny village for $250,000OSHAWA -- It would make a dandy Christmas present for someone with the space. And it's a steal at $250,000, a fraction of its appraised value.The miniature village of 174 ...
Emergency care workers fought fiercely to save Kelly familyOSHAWA -- Fervent efforts from hospital staff and emergency services went into caring for the Kelly family, victims of a brutal stabbing in south Oshawa last weekend. The ...
Tories say constituents are "outraged"DURHAM -- Two are Tory MPs who say they're hearing from constituents who are "outraged" at the possible overthrow of their government by a coalition of the left....