Report: Vancouver Leads North American Cities in Transit Ridership Growth

Vancouver's success in growing its ridership of public transit is thanks, in no small part, to large investments in rail and bus service.

1 minute read

April 2, 2018, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


TransLink Canada Line

Eric Buermeyer / Shutterstock

"Ridership on Metro Vancouver’s transit system grew more than any other in Canada and the U.S. last year," reports the Vancouver Sun.

"In 2017, TransLink ridership increased by 5.7 per cent over the previous year, with a total of 406.8 million boardings," according to article. "In 2016, ridership was up 4.5 per cent from 2015 (384.3 million boardings)."

This information comes from a report released by the American Public Transit Association. The report fins that only four cities of more than a million people had growing ridership in 2017: Vancouver, Montreal, Seattle, and Phoenix.

"TransLink attributes the growth to a strong economy, high gas prices and transit improvements, such as the December 2016 opening of the Evergreen Extension to the Millennium Line and the addition of more than 200,000 bus-service hours in 2017."

Thursday, March 29, 2018 in Vancouver Sun

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

April 22 - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

April 22 - Urban Edge