KITCHENER — Transportation company Wroute Inc. has reduced staff and service in response to slower than anticipated ridership growth.

"It was a purely financial decision, and one we didn't enjoy making," president Jason Hammond said. "That process was quick and has ended."

The Kitchener-based company launched regular passenger service between Fairview Park mall and downtown Guelph in September with a fleet of electric Tesla SUVs.

In January, the company added regular service to the Region of Waterloo International Airport, Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, University of Guelph, the Aldershot GO station, and Burlington's Mapleview mall. Frequency of trips was reduced from the September launch.

Beginning Saturday, the frequency of trips is being further reduced, and some of the runs in the early morning and late evening have been scrubbed.

"Our passenger numbers are growing, just not at the rate we were expecting," Hammond said.

"Eighty per cent of our trips were accommodated with half of our schedule," he said. "We had very low passenger volumes in the latest part of the night and the earliest part of the morning, so we've trimmed back those numbers."

Hammond said it's still possible for a customer hoping to be in downtown Toronto before 9 a.m. to use Wroute as part of their journey.

Destinations and prices, ranging from $10 to $32 per one-way trip, remain the same.

At the beginning of the year, Wroute had 27 full-time, salaried employees. That number now stands at 20.