CTrain Carries its One Billionth Customer

After only 28 years of operation, Calgary’s CTrain today
carried its one billionth passenger and counting.   

Mayor Dave Bronconnier, members of City Council  and Calgary
Transit Director Fred Wong congratulated commuter Shelly Xiao
during a ceremony at the 1 Street SW CTrain Station.

Ms. Xiao was randomly selected as Calgary Transit’s one
billionth CTrain customer since the light rail transit system
began operation May 25, 1981. 

“One billion customers is an amazing performance and a
reflection of the tremendous growth of our transit system,”
said Mayor Dave Bronconnier. 

Ridership on the CTrain has continued to grow over the years
and has doubled over the past decade.  When the west leg of
the LRT is completed, The City will have doubled the size of
the CTrain network in just over a decade. 

2009 is Calgary Transit’s Centennial year and given that the
one billionth customer is recorded this year, makes it
particularly special.

“This is quite the milestone for our organization,” Fred Wong
said, noting the CTrain system is the most popular LRT system
in North America carrying over 280,000 people every week day.


“We are proudly looking forward to serving the community over
the next 100 years.” 

Ms. Xiao received an assortment of gifts to commemorate the
occasion, including monthly transit passes until the end of
2009 and a limited edition model SD 160 CTrain car.