The number of trips taken on Canberra's public transport system was almost 8 million under target in 2025-26, budget documents reveal, as the ACT government blames MyWay+ and fare-free days.
However, a Transport Canberra executive previously said fare-free days were leading to an increase in patronage, captured in boarding data.
Only 12.7 million passenger boardings were recorded on Transport Canberra services in 2025-26, below a target of 20.3 million.
The estimated outcome of total trips tracks an entire year of commuters using the beleaguered MyWay+ ticketing system.
An ACT government spokesperson said the variance between the budgeted trip figure and the reported outcome largely reflected the transition to MyWay+ and the introduction of fare-free travel initiatives.
"These factors mean the reported patronage figure temporarily understates true passenger movements. The variance should therefore be understood primarily as a system transition and passenger behaviour issue, rather than a decline in demand," the spokesperson said.
"Fare-free initiatives may have reduced the incentive to consistently tap on and off on fare-free days, leading to lower recorded patronage even where actual travel demand has remained relatively stable."
Public transport was free in the ACT on Fridays for one year from December 2024, while services were free after 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays between December 2025 and February 2026.
However, Transport Canberra executive manager Judith Sturman said in May 2025 that data showed services recorded an increase in patronage on Fridays.
In February 2026, ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel apologised for the turbulent 2024 rollout of the MyWay+ system, and recommended an independent audit of the technology.
It's the second year in a row the number of passenger boardings has fallen below a target. In 2024-25, trips fell to 17.3 million, 3 million below the target.
Public Transport Association of Canberra chair Amy Jelacic said commuters knew there had not been a big drop in public transport patronage over the past year.
"We are concerned to see the reported figure that doesn't seem to match reality," she said.
"We appreciate the reasons provided for the lower-than-expected number of trips but strongly urge the ACT government to prioritise accurate patronage data collection and data sharing as this informs public transport funding and service provision."
Asked whether the 2026-27 target of 20.6 million trips was achievable given the MyWay+ technical issues, a government spokesperson said the technology system's performance had stabilised at more than 99 per cent reliability.
"Additionally, Transport Canberra has deployed authorised officers across the network to support improved passenger compliance with tap on and tap off requirements with the checking of tickets. This initiative is focused on positively influencing passenger behaviour to ensure more accurate trip data, with an education first approach that prioritises informing and assisting passengers about correct validation practices before enforcement action is considered," the spokesperson said.
"This should lead to a corresponding increase in recorded patronage. On that basis, the 2026-27 target of 20.6 million trips is considered achievable. Continued improvements in system reliability and the completeness of trip capture will support this target."
