Windsor's mayor doesn't expect things to return to normal for Transit Windsor until 2022.
Drew Dilkens says he thinks it will be 2022, possibly 2023, before we see normal ridership for Transit Windsor due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"People will continue to find other ways to get around. Even once they're vaccinated, getting on a bus with 40 other people may not be the preferred method for a period of time. So we're thinking 2023 would be the year things return to normal," he says.
Ridership is currently down by 85 per cent compared to pre-pandemic figures for Janaury and February 2022, according to Dilkens, who says that's costing the city.
The 2021 draft budget proposes an annual subsidy of $21.1-million for transit to off-set the decline in ridership, lower fares, and higher costs related to personal protective equipment and cleaning.
Dilkens says that compares to a $12.8-million annual subsidy that the city provided the system in 2018. He says the current system is just not sustainable.
A release from the city states "as a result of the Safe Restart Agreement between the Federal Government and the Province of Ontario, Windsor Transit has been allocated over $19-million in Phase 1 and Phase 2 funding to support continued operations up to March 31, 2021, however without additional pandemic-related operating support to cover the balance of 2021 pressures due to COVID, the City of Windsor may have to review ongoing transit operations and schedules."
Transit continues to operate on an enhanced Saturday service schedule, Monday through Saturday until ridership figures change. Sunday service continues on the Sunday schedule.
Dilkens adds that this situation is not unique to Windsor, saying he's spoken with Toronto Mayor John Tory and other mayors in Canada, calling the situation "the norm across the county."