Cornwall.ca — Cornwall Transit experienced a big jump in ridership on Wednesday, June 5th as thousands of residents took advantage of the free ride promotion being offered in celebration of Clean Air Day.

A total of 5,814 passengers boarded buses on Clean Air Day, much to the delight of Cornwall Transit officials. By comparison, the average daily ridership for the three previous workdays was 2,806.

“The goal of the promotion is to get more people on our buses to experience the benefits of using public transit, and we achieved that in a big way,” said Len Tapp, Transit Manager.

The free ride promotion for Clean Air Day was initiated in 2007 and it has continued to grow in popularity with each passing year. This year’s turnout was just shy of the record 6,045 passenger boardings during last year’s Clean Air Day event.

“Passengers have been contacting the Cornwall Transit office to express their appreciation for the free rides and great service,” added Mr. Tapp.

As part of the promotion, five mystery riders were on board buses to hand out 10-ride tickets to unsuspecting passengers.

About Cornwall Transit
Cornwall Transit transports approximately 790,000 passengers annually.  The Transit service is committed to providing effective and efficient service with emphasis on energy conservation and environmental preservation.

Cornwall Transit has seen many changes in the last few years, including the purchase of additional fully-accessible buses and a return to a 30-minute conventional bus service. These changes, along with the operator’s friendly, courteous reputation, have had a positive effect on the transit service in the community.