HAMILTON, ON – The City of Hamilton is delighted to announce that the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) exceeded expectations by achieving a remarkable 102.1 per cent ridership in February 2024. This outstanding accomplishment shows a significant leap forward in our efforts to recover ridership.
Mayor Andrea Horwath said, “I am thrilled that we have reached this remarkable milestone, which reflects the hard work and commitment of the HSR team and our valued customers. As we continue to enhance our services and expand transit options, we are grateful for the community’s trust and support.”
This remarkable milestone is a testament to the dedication of the HSR team and customers. HSR has continued improving service frequency and route options to enhance the experience for existing customers and entice new people to #TryTransit.
Director of Transit, Maureen Cosyn Heath, expressed her pride, “Surpassing a ridership benchmark from 2019 is a positive achievement, and it showcases the community’s trust in us. We are honoured to have welcomed both returning and new customers to the HSR. It is our pleasure to provide dependable and efficient transit options for the residents of Hamilton.”
The HSR remains committed to delivering excellent service to the community and looks forward to continuing to exceed expectations in the future.
Quick Facts
- The City has continued to invest in both operating and capital expenses for transit, including additional service hours for service expansion, more buses, and a second maintenance facility.
- These investments signal the importance the City places on growing transit for Hamiltonians.
- In 2019, HSR transported 21.6 million riders. This number significantly decreased to 11.7 million in 2020, representing only 46 per cent of the previous year’s ridership.
- By the end of December 2023, HSR experienced an 88 per cent return of 2019 levels, carrying 19.1 million riders.