Public transit ridership continues increase

APTA announced that 50 million more trips were taken on public transportation in the third quarter of 2007, compared to the third quarter of 2006. Light rail had the greatest growth with an 8.9 percent increase.

Some areas reporting the highest increases in light rail ridership opened new services, including The Regional Transit Authority of New Orleans, La., which reported the biggest increase at 115.7 percent. Commuter rail had the second largest growth of all modes at 5.4 percent with the most significant ridership boost in Harrisburg to Philadelphia (50.2 percent). Heavy rail ridership rose nationally by 4 percent. 

The largest growth in ridership occurred in San Juan, Puerto Rico (10.6 percent); Atlanta, Ga. (10.4 percent) and Staten Island, N.Y. (10.2 percent). Bus ridership inched upward nationwide by 0.1 percent; in communities with a population below 100,000 ridership grew by 7.5 percent. Paratransit ridership grew by 4.5 percent, and all other types of public transit jumped by 6.7 percent.  

The complete report can be viewed at: http://www.apta.com/research/stats/ridership/