Transit ridership up due to high gas prices

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/transit-ridership-up-due-to-high-gas...

THE jump in gas prices has resulted in a leap in people getting on the bus.

The latest City of Winnipeg report on the financial implications of COVID-19, says Winnipeg Transit has had roughly a 29 per cent increase in passengers in the last four weeks.

Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, said Friday that even though ridership is still down about 25 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, it’s a step in the right direction.

“It’s because both the world is opening up again, with people going back to the workplace, and people are going back to old patterns, but the cost of running cars has also gone up,” Browaty said.

“You hear (that) people who have never taken the bus before are now taking it because of gas prices and others are coming back.”

Browaty said the city is facing the same fuel price crunch as motorists, but it helps when there are more passengers on buses.

“It’s wonderful to see more people on the bus because the cost of running empty buses is the same as running a full bus,” he said.

“Hopefully, people are coming back and will stay.”

A civic report shows COVID-19 will put a $41.3-million dent in city coffers this year.

The report says transit is looking at a budget shortfall of $7 million this year, in part because of an increase in overtime costs due to employees being off sick or isolating because of the virus. The Fire Paramedic Services is $3 million over-budget because of similar overtime costs, and parking revenue is down about $500,000.

Other hits to the city’s budget include the snow clearing and ice control budget: $34.2 million over-budget this year and a possible $5 million to $13 million extra expenditure if fuel prices remain high.

Currently, $7.9 million in property taxes is in arrears. The number of property owners who pay their entire tax bill at once, but have outstanding payments, is 7,430 accounts out of about 230,000 accounts.

About $600,000 in business property taxes is outstanding.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca