Red Deer Transit ridership is trending upward with the first quarter of 2023 reporting rates that are 70 to 75 per cent of their pre-pandemic numbers, as City Council will hear at Monday’s Council meeting.

At the 2023-2024 Budget deliberations, Council identified challenges for Transit ridership and revenue, and asked administration to come back with a report outlining operational challenges as a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which Council will hear at Monday’s meeting.

“This news is promising, and we hope it continues,” said Jeremy Bouw, Transit & Fleet Services Manager. “We are working to better understand what the community requires for public transit service and are shifting our focus to the future of transit, and its sustainability.”

Red Deer Transit continues to monitor demand for transit service and works with large employers in the area to ensure nimble and flexible service can be provided to meet their employee needs. Administration plans to bring an updated situational assessment of transit operations back to City Council in the fall of 2023.