Transit Executive Committee: Transit Awareness; Service for post-secondary campuses in Durham

Whitby, Ontario – On January 11, members of the Durham Region Transit Executive Committee (TEC) met to discuss various Durham Region Transit (DRT) initiatives and updates. Details and highlights include:

• Transit Awareness Day, Queen’s Park: On Monday, December 5, 2022, the Ontario Public Transit Association (OPTA), in partnership with the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), held an in-person Lobby Day at Queen’s Park. OPTA and transit agencies met with various MPPs; outlining the need for continued funding support into 2023 to help cover expenses and reduced revenue resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Without continued funding, transit agencies may need to cut service levels during a critical period of ridership recovery and increasing population.   
• Transit service of post-secondary campuses in Durham: DRT shared information on current service levels to post-secondary campuses, including benefits of the Universal Pass (U-Pass) program. Compared to the pre-pandemic transit network:
  • 62 per cent more Durham residents can access campuses with a direct, one seat ride
  • 52 per cent more trips are servicing campuses
  • the DRT U-Pass is one of the higher discounted passes among comparator transit agencies in Canada
  • students attending post-secondary schools in Durham have a high level of access to transit service relative to what they pay for their U-Pass compared to other transit agencies in Canada.

Quotes

“Thank you, DRT, for continuing to enhance service for our post-secondary student population as they further their education across the Region. We value students who choose to travel to campus using our transit system and are proud to offer a reliable transit source.”

-        John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer

“Thanks to all who showed their support in recognizing the important role public transit plays in our communities. We are grateful for the additional funding from the province that enabled DRT to maintain current service levels through 2022.”

-      Marilyn Crawford, Regional Councillor for the Town of Ajax and Chair of the Transit Executive Committee for Durham Regional Council

“DRT services continue to evolve during the pandemic recovery period to enhance resident access, as well as frequency and reliability across the network. The network today is definitely different than in 2019—it provides more access to more people and better serves major destinations across the Region, including the three main post-secondary campuses.”

-        Bill Holmes, General Manager of Durham Region Transit 

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For more information, please contact Corporate Communications.