London Bus Ridership Plummets Due to Student Policy

0:00It's March 27th. Welcome in. This is Vancouver News today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Bus ridership in London, Ontario dropped by nearly 2 million riders last year, falling to 17.5 million from 19.2 million the year before. The main reason points to fewer international students at local schools, like Western University and Fanshawe College. A new report to the London Transit Commission blames much of the decline on lower enrollment in the tuition pass program tied directly to federal. Caps on foreign students, ecologists, and universities. Riders per capita have been falling steadily for three years now, even as the city's population grows, leaving buses crowded on key routes without. Enough budget to add more service. Other Ontario spots like Brampton, Mississauga, and parts of Waterloo region saw quick transit rebounds after the pandemic, but they're now facing. Similar ridership dips from the same student policy.

1:02Experts call this a notable setback with financial ripple effects, but not a long-term crisis for transit systems, urging cities to boost service. Quality to draw in riders beyond students. Student officials continue monitoring as the situation unfolds.