Has iXpress ridership improved?

On Monday, June 27, the iXpress bus route increased service levels by about 50 percent. Grand River Transit introduced the route - a precursor to Waterloo Region's light rail system - in 2005, and now it has finally reached a daytime frequency of a bus every 10 minutes. Early evening frequency is now 15 minutes, and Saturday daytime frequency is 15 minutes for the entire route.

The increase is designed both to address overcrowding as well as to improve service. Are more people riding the iXpress already? For many, the 10 minute frequency may mean that they don't need a schedule. Are people leaving their cars at home and taking the iXpress?

Until now along much of the route riders had been faced with the choice between a slow but frequent Route 7 bus, or the fast but much less frequent iXpress - and so often chose the one that came first. The iXpress is now a better bet, and perhaps more riders will be switching from one to the other. Are the facts on the ground, and in GRT's records, bearing this out?

The bigger questions are whether in a community which is easy to get around by car, a fast and frequent bus route can attract many riders. And what does the iXpress demand mean for a light rail system several years down the road?