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Winnipeg Transit saw about 400,000 fewer riders in 2017 compared to the previous year – a drop of nearly 1% – according to the city’s 2017 annual report.

It’s the second time in the past three years ridership has declined as more people frustrated with declining service continue to seek other ways to get around the city.

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Ridership peaked in Winnipeg in 2014 at 49.9 million rides. But it has stalled and declined since then. It fell dramatically in 2015 to 48.2 million rides, rebounded somewhat the following year but dropped again in 2017. There were 48.1 million rides in 2017, a decline of 0.8%.

That despite the fact Winnipeg’s population has grown by an average of 1.7% a year since 2013, or more than 50,000 people during that period. Winnipeg’s population grew by 13,900 people in 2017, a 1.9% gain.

There is no clear explanation for the drop in ridership. Some Canadian cities like Edmonton are experiencing similar declines. But others, including Vancouver and Montreal, have seen increases in transit ridership. Some smaller cities like Guelph, Ont., have also seen an increase in the number of people taking the bus.