An Owen Sound Transit bus. (photo supplied by City of Owen Sound)
Ridership increased on public transit buses in Owen Sound last year.
The city’s operations committee recently reviewed a report recapping city transit usage in 2024, and it says more than 206,000 riders boarded a bus in Owen Sound. That’s about a 15 per cent increase over the number of riders who used public transit in Owen Sound in 2023.
The report also says bus pass revenue increased by over $50,000 last year, but that was partially offset by an $18,000 decline in fare revenue.
“I often like to say it’s advantageous to all of us to take an hour … and just ride a couple of routes and experience how valuable the transit service is to members in our community,” says Owen Sound Deputy Mayor and Operations Committee Chair Scott Greig. “There are certainly some some real passions that can be shared, but you see the necessity that it provides for engaging and moving people in the community.”
The city’s Supervisor of Environmental Services Heidi Jennen told committee members buses in Owen Sound were on time about “50 per cent of the time” in 2024.
She says route changes were made in January with the aim of improving overall punctuality of the city’s transit system.
