The transit bubble appears to have burst.
After months of steady growth — including 39,217 riders in March — use has slowed in Vernon. There were 32,894 riders in April and 24,232 in May.
While the first instinct is to overreact and spread doom and gloom, the situation shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, the transit terminal recently moved from its traditional spot on Coldstream Avenue to 31st Avenue next to Cenotaph Park.
There is naturally going to be a transition as riders adjust to the new pick-up and drop-off downtown and their ability to get to work, go shopping or fulfill other commitments. Realistically, the move may mean some residents have to find other options to get around. Others, won’t be impacted at all.
Besides the new terminal, some routes have been adjusted as have hours of service.
Another factor impacting ridership is the relocation of Vernon’s library. A bus stop was located right in front of the old branch, making access extremely easy. Now, a bit of a walk is required before a transit user can get to the new library on 30th Avenue.
The most responsible reaction from officials at this point is to review the April and May statistics but not make any rash decisions. Two months of ridership figures are not sufficient to establish a trend.
Let’s see what happens over summer when people are looking to get to the beach or the movies, and then into fall when regular schedules for work and college resume. It could be that April and May were just a blip.
But if ridership continues to lag for the rest of the year, officials will have sufficient date to make the changes necessary to reverse the trend.
