Niagara Transit working to clear up early ‘growing pains’
June 26, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Fort Erie transit riders have not recently been affected by the abandoned rides that plagued the service in its early days, councillors heard.
Edward Zahra, director of customer experience for the Niagara Transit Commission, was at council on Monday to answer questions that had been raised by the accessibility advisory committee and update councillors on the service in Fort Erie.
âWe havenât had those instances in the last four or five months through the ridership data that weâve been collecting,â said Zahra, responding to a question from Councillor Ann-Marie Noyes.
Noyes described several instances where riders were forced to find alternative options, such as friends and families, when their transit ride fell through, calling the early struggles to provide reliable service âgrowing pains.â
Zahra said he empathized with those people but assured councillors theyâve worked to eliminate the issues.
âI agree with you that that shouldnât have happened and it wonât happen. We have our policies in place with the contractor to ensure that moving forward, because I do empathize with those customers as well,â he said.
On the bright side, those early growing pains havenât seemed to halt the growth of ridership, which has risen consistently since transit in Niagara was amalgamated three years ago. In fact, the total rides of over 25,000 in the first quarter of 2025 in Fort Erie was the highest level to date, and 50 per cent over pre-amalgamation levels.
Zahra also clarified some specifics on booking and the service level for Fort Erie.
Of the 38 vehicles contractor Voyago operates in Niagara, 13 are based in Fort Erie. There are seven âtaggedâ to Fort Erie, meaning their service is focused in town. The remaining six can be used to service people in town, but can also go to neighbouring communities.
One of the seven vehicles tagged to Fort Erie is wheelchair accessible, while two of the remaining six are accessible.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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