Canadian transit ridership hits all-time high

According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), transit ridership in Canada last year reached 1.553 billion trips, the highest total of any other year on record.

CUTA calculates transit ridership statistics annually based on detailed results provided by more than 100 of the largest transit systems in the country.

"The 2003 total is 22 million trips more than the amount taken in 2002,” said Michael Roschlau, president and CEO of CUTA. “That's an increase of 1.5% over the previous year, despite the effects of SARS and the blackout in Eastern Canada last year.”

CUTA officials have said that increased ridership numbers signal the need for higher government funding of public transit.