TransLink logs ridership boost in 2017's first half

In the first half of 2017, TransLink's SkyTrain ridership soared nearly 12 percent to 74 million boardings compared to the same point last year.

Ridership across all the agency's transit modes grew 5.7 percent to 200 million boardings, TransLink officials said in a press release.

The ridership bump follows a 4.5 percent increase for all of 2016, when the agency logged a record 384.8 million boardings.

For 2017's first quarter, TransLink reported the highest ridership growth rate among transit agencies with average weekday boardings of 1 million or more.

However, ridership on the agency's West Coast Express commuter-rail line declined 6.1 percent year over year to 1.2 million boardings.

Meanwhile, TransLink this week released its 2016 Transit Service Performance Review. The report provides an overview of ridership and service productivity for the agency's four main transit modes.

Data from this year's report will help TransLink define specific service improvements as part of the next phase of the 10-year plan for transportation improvements in Vancouver, British Columbia.