Calgary Transit announced on Thursday, January 19th that they plan to hire 800 new drivers by years end to help restore ridership to pre-pandemic levels.

Sharon Fleming, Director of Calgary Transit, says that in order to get pre-pandemic levels back, Calgary Transit has to "augment their recruitment" in order to keep up with their plan.

The plan will draw out as the year progresses. 400 drivers are going to be hired in the next four weeks, and Calgary Transit also looks to hire new technicians to keep the transit fleet running smoothly.

The first focus will be with the LRT, with weekend and evening service being improved. After that, Fleming says that other "cross-town connections" will be looked at as well.

Even though 2023 began not too long ago, Calgary Transit's goals are clear, and Fleming knows where she wants transit in Calgary to be by the time we ring in 2024.

Fleming hopes service can return to what they were prior to the pandemic, and are also preparing for the future, as the Green Line LRT is set to start development soon.

Further information on the announcement can be found on the City of Calgary's website.

Listen to the full CFWE Interview below with Sharon Fleming: