Ohhhh... This is `Passengers / (Vehicles * Hours). That explains why the numbers are so small!

Looking at Naqiy’s other charters, that would also put it about 10% above the NYC Subway’s boardings/revenue hour, which seems unlikely?

Though I wonder if it’s the NYC numbers that are surprising? Is a vehicle revenue hour for a whole subway train or for the individual cars that make it up…?

This is from the FTA so both kinds of data are out there…

Most of RTD light rail parallels highways, and other than downtown Denver doesn’t particularly go anywhere.

I'm old enough to remember when there were doubts about building ION, that Waterloo Region would be the smallest municipality in North America with light rail, that no one would use it, etc. And now it gets more ridership per hour than every American LRT? We should build more ION.

FWIW my numbers were: 5.6M boardings in 2024 (GRT data) 46,573 service hours comprised of -140.5 service hours per weekday x 252 weekday schedules -103.7 per Saturday x 52 Saturdays -94.1 per Sunday/holiday x 61 Sunday/holiday schedules -34.8 service hours on Christmas Day

How much of this is student or TFWP?

I’m not sure. There’s a corresponding dip in the summer ridership for GRT, but I think it’s less pronounced for ION. And there was a recent drop with the foreign enrollment reductions, but perhaps ION post-pandemic growth — and growth along the line — will make up for it soon

Speaking of building more ION…

One thing about spending too much time obsessing over the dumpster fire that is Vancouver Island rail advocacy is that it makes *good* advocacy so much more obvious. I really like how that page lays out a very simple, clear case for what they want and how to do it. Great work on their part

And it feels positive and inclusive. Often transit advocacy is way too boomer male oriented. But with a bit of tweaking you could see more women feeling like this is something they could get involved with. They should get a young women to do a TikTok account as well to extend their reach

And just because it’s on my mind, here is an example from Restore Island Rail on what *not* to do. I mean just look at this. Absolutely cursed vibes all around and it does nothing to get people excited and activated to participate and advocate. 0/10. Yikesville. Do not recommend

Not surprised. Canadian mass transit kicks ass. Comparing ourselves with the USA is basically useless. How do the boardings per hour compare with Calgary CTrain, Edmonton LRT, Canberra Metro, Sydney Light Rail, GLink, and Newcastle Light Rail?

I’d love to know! Particularly if the relevant data is already public, or someone else has calculated the number of revenue hours…