Written By David Gomez
MIDDLESEX COUNTY - County council received its 2025 year-in-review report for the Middlesex County Connect transit service on March 10, highlighting increased ridership, higher fare revenue, and continued expansion efforts across the region.
Presenting the report, Demetri Makrakos, Community Transportation Project Manager, said the service showed growth across most key indicators compared to the previous year. Ridership rose from 11,238 trips in 2024 to 14,237 in 2025, representing a 27% increase. Fare revenue also grew by about 20%, reaching $67,000. Route 1 saw the largest increase, more than doubling its ridership with a 106% gain.
“The overall takeaway is the service improved across the majority of metrics from 2024 to 2025,” Makrakos told council, noting that the system operated for 6,250 hours during the year, with minimal downtime. According to the report, the service maintained a 98.5% operational rate.
The report also outlined how riders are paying for the service. Just over half of all fares, 51%, are paid using debit or credit cards on board, while 45% of riders continue to use cash. A smaller portion (4%) use the Blaise mobile payment app.
Cara Finn, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, clarified that the report does not yet include data from Route 4, which connects Sarnia, Strathroy and London. She noted that future reports will incorporate those figures as the service continues to expand.
Council members welcomed the positive results. Councillor Cathy Burghardt-Jesson described the update as encouraging, pointing to increased awareness and use of public transit among residents.
Discussion also touched on future reporting and partnerships. CAO Paul Shipway indicated that while data is tracked monthly, staff may report back to council at mid-year as the service transitions under a new funding model.
The service cost approximately $560,000 to operate in 2025, with funding support from municipal and provincial partners. Additional discussions are expected with other municipalities and private sector partners as the county works to strengthen long-term sustainability.
