May 22, 2013 Dear Mayor and Council, I am glad to hear that York Region Transit will be expanding

service to Stouffville & Gormley toward Yonge Street in 2014. I have gone on public record to thank you in the Sun-Tribune (March 24, 2013) for encouraging this development. The March 2013 monthly YRT Ridership Reports for Route 9 are now available, and they confirm again how urgent this development is. Ridership growth has been effectively halted since the YRT 2012 Service Plan took effect in June 2012. Concretely, we see that YRT ridership in Stouffville fell 4.7% from March 2011 to March 2013. In previous years, the combined Stouffville March ridership had been increasing more than 20% annually (see chart below). These cuts have impacted the social life of Stouffville youth (see Twitter!), hurt the budgets of families (an extra car for some), inconvenienced seniors and the working poor dependent on public transit, and hindered growth in Stouffvilles service sector (which has indicated difficulty in attracting and retaining low-wage employees in town). The March ridership numbers are similar to the trends for the months of July, August, September (not October), November, December, January, and February (see charts below). The data is unambiguous: it was a costly error in judgement to let the 2012 YRT Service Plan pass without official critique from the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville (I had given some questions to my Councillor, but no Councillor challenged the plan). I ask those seeking re-election to consider fully embracing a robust public transit strategy for our town (I have yet to hear that from council, despite the YRT expansion for 2014). Perhaps the charts below (tracking ridership) are helpful. Sincerely, Arnold Neufeldt-Fast 672 Millard Street, Stouffville, ON

Whitchurch-Stouffville Population
50,000 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Whitchurch-Stouffville Population

(Source: see below)

Stouffville Monthly Ridership Summary for Rt. 9 & 15 (Pre-/Post Service Reduction June 2012)

March
9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011

Free ridership (after labour disruption)

March 2013 ridership below 2011 levels. Decline despite 5,600 new residence since Mar 2011.

March

2012

2013

(Source: See below)

Free ridership after Feb 4 (post labour disruptions)

February
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Feb 2013 above 2011 levels, but below 2012. Stagnant growth post-Service reduction.

February

(Source: See below)

January
6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Jan 2013 up 4% over 2011, but growth trajectory impeded by Summer 2012 Service Reduction (Note Oct 24, 2011 to Feb 3 2012 labour disruption)

January

(Source: See below)

December
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Dec 2012 ridership: sharp decline over 2010.

December

(Source: See below) Lower ridership levels in 2012 over 2010. Growth trajectory impeded

November
8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 November

(Source: See below)

October
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

LabourOctober action begins October 24, 2011. October 2012 growth is positive.

(Source: See below)

September
7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Significant ridership decline over Sept. 2011

September

(Source: See below)

August
5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Significant ridership decline over Aug 2011

August

(Source: See below) Ridership decline over July 2011

July
4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 July

(Source: See below)

Sources:
W-S Mid-Year Population Totals (Source: Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville; see links) 2013: 43,300 (estimate: up 5%, or 2,100) 2012: 41,200 (up 6.6%, or 2,550) 2011: 37,628 (up 6%, or 2,150) 2010: 36,500 (up 10%, or 3,300) 2009: 33,200 (up 4%, or 1,200) 2008: 32,000 (up 6%, or 1,800) 2007: 30,200 (up 16%, or 4,200) 2006: 26,000 March Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2013: 5980 (down 4.7% over 2011) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2012: 7780 [NB: free service throughout March] 2011: 6275 (up 24% over 2010) 2010: 5157 (up 21.7% over 2009) 2009: 4278 (up 26.7% over 2008) 2008: 3376 2007: (see here) February Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2013: 6327 (up 17.5% over 2011; [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2012: 6375 (labour disruption; free service Feb 4 to Feb 29; up 18.4% from 2011) 2011: 5382 (up 19.3% over 2010) 2010: 4510 (up 24% over 2009) 2009: 3632 (down 41% over 2008, a one-month anomaly) 2008: 6192 (up 90%; restructured route; a one-month anomaly) 2007: 3260 January Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2013: 5478 (up 4% over Jan 2011; NB: pop. increase approx. 5000 or 13% over Jan/11) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2012: 0 [labour disruption] 2011: 5268 (up 11% over Jan 2010) 2010: 4714 (up 22% over Jan 2009) 2009: 3690 (up 17% over Jan 2008) 2008: 3150 2007: (unavailable) December Ridership Stats: (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2012: 6034 (down 6% over Dec 2010)

[Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: (labour disruption) 2010: 6414 (up 33% over Dec 2009) 2009: 4820 (up 36% over Dec 2008) 2008: 3542 (up 53% over Dec 2007) 2007: 2310 November Ridership Stats: (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2012: 6996 (down 4% over 2010) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: (labour disruption) 2010: 7257 (up 44% over Nov 2009) 2009: 5028 (up 17% over Nov 2008) 2008: 4293 (up 25% over Nov 2007) 2007: 3201 October Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2012: 6586 (up 29% over Oct 2010) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: 4249 (labour disruption began Oct 24) 2010: 5152 (down 8% over Oct 2009) 2009: 5624 (up 25% over Oct 2008) 2008: 4221 (up 30% over Oct 2007) 2007: 3239 September Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2012: 5623 (down 14% over 2011) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: 6572 () 2010: 5304 (up % over 2009) 2009: 4945 (up % over 2008) 2008: 4142 (up % over 2007) 2007: N/A August Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links) 2012: 3655 (down 19% over 2011) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: 4543 (up 19% over 2010) 2010: 3823 (up 26% over 2009) 2009: 3033 (up 26% over 2008) 2008: 2410 (up 41% over 2007) 2007: 1713 July Ridership Stats (York Region Transit Routes 9 & 15; see links)

2012: 3625 (down 7% over July 2011) [Service reduction 2012; ridership migration of Rte 15 to Rte 9] 2011: 3887 (up % over July 2010) 2010: 3556 (up 2% over July 2009) 2009: 3490 (up % over 2008) 2008: 2649 2007: N/A

(YRT 2012 Annual Service Plan: Proposed Initiatives, August 2011, slide 30) Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Community of Stouffville Secondary Plan, 12.8.3.2; The Town shall encourage the Region of York to develop a regional transit system in accordance with the policies of Section 7.2 of the Regional Official Plan. In particular, the Town shall encourage the creation of a regional transit system which will link the Community of Stouffville with other communities in the Region, and which will also provide internal service within the Community itself. York Region, Sec. 7.2, Moving People and Goods; Transit, p. 100:. ... [i]t is the policy of [Regional] Council ... [25] To achieve higher transit usage by supporting improvements in service, convenient access and good urban design,

including the following: a) minimizing walking distances to planned and existing transit ... . The Region will plan to provide transit service so that the distance to a transit stop in the Urban Area is within 500 metres of 90% of residents, and within 200 metres of 50% of residents. ... d) directing medium- and high-density urban development to rapid transit corridors. Earlier letters to Mayor and Council here:

Oct 30, 2012; Oct 26, 2012; Mar 8, 2012 Stouffville Free Press on January 1, 2013