Ridership and performance

System ridership

This dashboard shows GRT's system ridership by month since 2019. Ridership is a record of an overall journey of a passenger which includes when they paid a fare and all the transfers the person makes. For example, a passenger who pays a cash fare for the initial trip and then transfers to a second bus to complete their journey is counted as one ride.

Ridership data are derived from a combination of fare transactions, historical transfer rates and boardings derived from Automatic Passenger Counting systems (APC) of conventional buses and LRT.

System boardings

This dashboard shows GRT's system boardings by month since 2019. Boardings are records of how may people stepped onto a bus or LRT during a trip. Unlike ridership, a boarding does not separate out who has paid a fare and who boarded with a transfer. For example, a rider who pays a cash fare for their trip and then transfers to a second bus to complete their journey is counted as one trip, but two boardings.

Boardings data are derived from Automatic Passenger Counting (APC) systems equipped in conventional buses and LRT. It includes sensors located on top of vehicle doors to detect passengers boarding and alighting.

Service reliability

This dashboard shows GRT's service reliability for conventional buses at a monthly level since 2021. Service reliability is measured as percentage of buses that are on-time at a timepoint, which are a select number of bus stops with a scheduled time along the route. A bus would be considered on-time if it departs the timepoint within a three-minute window of the schedule. A bus departing more than three minutes after the scheduled time is considered late, while a bus departing before the scheduled time is considered early.

On-time performance data are derived from Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) equipped in GRT buses. It uses GPS technology to monitor in real-time the location of each bus. The AVL system determines the location of each bus and then compares it to where each bus is scheduled to be.

For alternate formats of this information, please contact grtinfo@regionofwaterloo.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

What does GRT mean by "real-time" when referencing any of the systems providing this information?

A number of GRT's traveller information systems give predicted real-time departure information for buses so riders have a better idea of when their bus will be leaving their stop.

While GRT expects most predictions to be reasonably accurate, the technology is complex and relies on multiple systems, on and off the bus to work together. Because of this complexity, riders may occasionally receive inaccurate information when one system fails to communicate with the others.

How else is real-time location information used?

Transit Control Centre staff monitor the schedule performance of each GRT route and make any necessary service adjustments. Transit schedulers analyze average bus travel times and adjust route schedules accordingly.

What is a timepoint?

Each bus route has series of bus stops, usually at major intersections or landmarks, that are identified as timepoints on its schedule. For example, "King at University" is one of 13 timepoints identified on the Route 7 public timetable. Bus operators drive to the scheduled time at these timepoints.

In addition, every bus stop between timepoints has a time associated to it but these times are subject to some variability so customers are asked to be at stops five minutes early.

What is considered an on-time bus?

A bus is considered on time when it has departed from a timepoint at the scheduled time or no more than three minutes late. A bus departing more than three minutes after the scheduled time is considered late, while a bus departing before the scheduled time is considered early.

How does GRT calculate on-time performance?

All GRT buses are equipped with an Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) system that uses GPS technology to monitor in real-time the location of each bus. The AVL system determines the location of each bus and then compares it to where each bus is scheduled to be. On-time performance is then calculated by determining the percent of buses that are never early and up to three minutes late.

How does GRT account for detours or weather?

Weather or detours can affect the on-time performance of buses. In a snowstorm, buses will typically run later than scheduled which will be reflected in the calculation of schedule adherence.

If a detour is known about in advance and will last for a significant length of time (such as a month or longer road construction project), GRT staff will take this into account and, when possible, adjust the schedule for the affected route(s). On-time performance is based on the adjusted schedules. In contrast, the schedule for a route is not adjusted for detours that occur with little advance notice or are only in effect for a short time. Examples of events that cause short-term detours include a water main break, traffic accident or minor road repair. For these short-term detours, a bus is recorded as running late.