Analysis of Recent Public Transit Ridership Trends

Transit ridership across the United States has declined for six straight years. Bus ridership, which has declined more than other transit services, is now at the lowest point since 1965. Rail ridership, with the exception of commuter rail, has also declined, and commuter rail ridership has recently leveled off. This report presents a current snapshot of public transit ridership trends in the U.S. on bus and rail services in urban and suburban areas, focusing on what has changed in the past several years. It also explores and presents strategies that transit agencies are considering and using for all transit modes in response to changes in ridership. Ten case studies are included to better understand individual strategies transit agencies are using to mitigate ridership losses and increase ridership overall. Nearly every transit agency investigated in the case studies had ridership increases between 2012 and 2015 followed by steady decreases in ridership. Generally, on-time performance has been improving, although it is not causing transit ridership to increase.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/179912.aspx
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/25723782
• Authors:
  • Watkins, Karl
  • Berrebi, Simon
  • Diffee, Chandler
  • Kiriazes, Becca
  • Ederer, David
• Publication Date: 2020

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Bibliography; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 111p
• Serial:
  • TCRP Research Report
  • Issue Number: 209
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 2572-3782

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Mode choice; Public transit; Ridership; Trend (Statistics)
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01724273
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309481137
• Report/Paper Numbers: Project J-11/Task 28
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 3 2019 10:46AM