Free transit survey results

I think most residents are aware that for the month of December transit is being offered without charge. While I voted against the initiative as a gimmick when it was first proposed, I do hope that it will be a success, introducing new riders to transit and encouraging existing riders to make more trips for more reasons around the city. When people use public transportation, everyone wins by reducing greenhouse gases and congestion.

I'm always interested in data particularly relating to transportation. During the evening of November 30 and the day on December 1, I asked residents to fill in a quick survey about whether they intended to take advantage of no-charge transit by riding more often. It's just a kitchen-table effort with lots of caveats around its utility, but I've done some quick analysis of the numbers in a report that you can view below by clicking the .pdf.

While a majority of residents say free transit won't necessarily coax them onto the bus or train, there are still an awful lot of people in Ottawa who say that it will.