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Transit service in Metro Vancouver had record-high ridership in 2016, a trend that is expected to continue this year, according to TransLink’s annual service-performance review and the latest ridership figures.

Overall ridership growth in 2016 was the largest since 2010, with annual system-wide boardings increasing by 4.5 per cent to a record 384.8 million. Ridership increased on all TransLink services except SeaBus and West Coast Express, which declined 2.8 per cent and three per cent, respectively.

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This growth was likely due to a strong economy, increase in transit service hours and the official launch of the Compass card and full closure of fare gates.

Geoff Cross, vice-president of planning and policy, called the results “terrific” for TransLink.

“For one thing, it’s very unusual to have this level of growth two years in a row. It shows that the investments that we’ve been making this year were much needed and it validates all of the work that we’ve been doing with the Mayors’ Vision,” he said.