GO Transit ridership back down to 10-12% of pre-pandemic levels

Metrolinx says ridership is back down to 10 to 12 per cent of pre-pamdemic levels.

In a post on Twitter, chief spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said it feels “a little like it’s March 2020 all over again.”

Aikins said she’s hopeful ridership and expansion will be back to where it once was now that we know more about the COVID-19 virus.

“We now know how COVID is transmitted, how to detect & treat it & most importantly, we’ve got vaccines to help mitigate the health impacts,” she wrote. “So I’m hopeful better days are ahead. We’ll get back to robust ridership & expansion again – in time.”

Received an update on GO Transit ridership & feeling a little like it’s March 2020 all over again with ridership right back down to 10-12% of pre-pandemic levels. But it’s not the same, there are big differences…

— Anne Marie Aikins (@MetrolinxSpox) January 14, 2022

Earlier this week, GO Transit released a temporarily reduced schedule as the company continues to experience a high rate of absenteeism due to COVID-19 throughout the entire organization with both staff illness and isolations.

Metrolinx said staffing levels are 20 to 30 per cent lower on average due to the rapid spread of COVID’s Omicron variant.

Aikins said ridership during this period is expected to remain low as students attend virtual school and people work from home.

However, adjustments will be made if needed as staff continues to monitor ridership, staff availability and public health advice.

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