Bridge traffic sees nearly 43 per cent increase over October 2020

With the border between Canada and the United States slowly opening to non-essential cross-border travel, traffic on the International Bride saw a sharp increase in October 2021 compared to one year ago.

Numbers released by the International Bridge Administration (IBA) on Thursday afternoon noted a 42.7 per cent increase in crossings over October 2020.

Traffic numbers for October 2021 include:

Full-fare passenger cars: 4,592
Pre-paid account fare: 7,757
Car pulling trailers: 833
Commercial trucks: 6:281

Total traffic for the calendar year of 152,222 represents a year-to-date decrease of 52 per cent compared to 2020 and an 86.8 per cent decrease from 2019.

"The change in traffic comparing 2021 to pre-pandemic crossings in 2019 for the month of October, autos have decreased 89.8 per cent, pre-paid accounts have decreased 87 per cent and commercial vehicles have declined 21.9 per cent," noted a release from the IBA.