Free transit to Sudbury students would strain system, report warns

Sudbury’s GOVA Transit system enjoyed an 18.6 per cent increase in ridership in 2024.

While offering Sudbury students free access to transit buses would have long-term benefits, a new report says the plan would strain the system and lead to increased costs, among other challenges.

City staff were asked to look at the idea, which has been implemented in other cities as a way to supplement school buses and foster long-term use of the transit system.

Ward 5 Coun. Mike Parent brought the idea forward last August based on Kingston, which has provided free transportation for high school students since implementing a pilot project in 2017.

When the program rolled out in Kingston, secondary school ridership increased from about 30,000 a year to more than 600,000.

But Sudbury’s GOVA Transit system already enjoyed an 18.6 per cent increase in ridership in 2024, said a report headed to the March 17 meeting of the community and emergency services committee.

That translates into a ridership increase of 6.2 million, leading to 11,000 additional service hours at a cost of $722,139.

Affect current riders

“Should council direct staff to implement a free access to transit program for high school students, concerns exist that the overcrowdings and strain on the system will negatively affect paying riders and require more service hours,” the report said.

“Additionally, fare evasion (inappropriate use of student passes) and negative on-board behaviors could rise. Tracking program success is difficult without distinguishing high school from post-secondary student ridership, necessitating fare structure updates.”

Other communities have found that absenteeism increased because students could ditch school and take the bus home whenever they wanted.

If councillors want to move ahead with a pilot project to gather data on what the impact would be, the costs would be around $1 million, assuming 15 per cent of high school students make use of the free monthly passes.

“Should council wish to further explore a free transit program for high school students, staff will return with a report describing the steps required for a pilot project to determine the viability and impact of a free transit program for high school students,” the report said.