Carrie Butler, GM Lextran Lexington, Ky. Last fall, we added trips on our busiest mainline route to provide more frequent service to customers, and also, in hopes of growing ridership. We are also doing more to keep our finger on the pulse of development plans in Lexington, to better align our service with the destinations where people travel today, versus 30 years ago.
Cline
Jim Cline, President Denton County Transportation Authority Lewisville, Texas DCTA is facing challenges with ridership. Our biggest competition is convenience in a time when many of our passengers can afford car ownership. To face this challenge, we’re implementing fare strategies that reduce cost as a factor for our riders. We’re also addressing first- and last-mile connections with innovative mobility solutions, such as integration with taxi service and TNCs, which will provide easier access to our services.
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Forbes
Clinton B. Forbes, Executive Director Palm Tran Palm Beach, Fla. Our industry, including Palm Tran, has seen an unfortunate dip in ridership over the last few years. We recently established the PT-Stat program to approach important metrics, like ridership, with a laser-type focus. Our cross-disciplinary ridership team meticulously monitors ridership on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis and recommends tweaks and enhancements to service to boost ridership. One recent enhancement was improving access to transit by extending an existing underperforming route six miles to the West Palm Beach, Fla. VA Medical Center and the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, which boosted ridership on the route by an unprecedented 90 percent.
Dunham
Kelly Dunham, Executive Director Bay Area Transportation Authority Traverse City, Mich. The Bay Area Transportation Authority provides more than 500,000 rides annually and is currently experiencing a five-percent increase in ridership year-over-year. Ridership growth has been driven by modifying routes and services to meet the needs of new economic development projects in our region, offering a monthly commuter pass for frequent riders, and incorporating rider-friendly technologies, such as integrating BATA’s routes into Google Maps and the Transit App, so it’s easier for people to use public transportation.
Green
David Green, CEO GRTC Transit System Richmond, Va. Boosting ridership begins with optimizing system speed, consistency, and ease of use. This year, we debut a modernized transit system with new and redesigned routes, including bus rapid transit service ‘GRTC Pulse.’ New bus stop amenities and enhanced signs improve the customer experience, and technology advancements, like mobile pay, an updated transit app, and new destination guide, make it easier to ride. Successful implementation will result in faster travel and convenient, reliable options for riders.
Terry
Michael Terry, President/CEO IndyGo Indianapolis IndyGo is ramping up to a 70% increase in service over the next five years. This will mean every route running every day, a frequent and useable grid network design, better frequencies on the majority of routes, and three rapid transit lines. We are building a system, with public support after a voter referendum in 2016, that is useable. A system that more quickly and comfortably gets Indy residents and visitors to healthcare, recreation, education, and job opportunities.
Anguiano
Gamaliel Anguiano, Transit Manager SLO Transit San Luis Obispo, Calif. We start with sound transit fundamentals, coupled with innovations in both operations and vehicles. SLO Transit prioritizes safety, reliability, accessibility, and efficiency in all its route planning. Then, we use a super simple route nomenclature system to easily orient new riders to our routes and schedules. Once on board, riders are treated to a modernly-styled vehicle with free Wi-Fi, two-tone flooring, sun-roofs, a hand-sanitizer station, a video-infotainment system, and other amenities.
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Ferrell
Dwight A. Ferrell, CEO/GM Cincinnati Metro Cincinnati To increase ridership, our focus is on improving the customer experience to make using our service more attractive and competitive with owning a personal vehicle. We’re purchasing new buses with charging ports and more comfortable seating, and providing technology like real-time bus tracking, mobile trip planning and payment apps, and text alerts for service interruptions. Currently, we’re conducting a Wi-Fi pilot to evaluate providing this amenity, which would enable customers to use their commute to do what they otherwise couldn’t behind the wheel.
Curated and facilitated by transportation industry leaders, LITLA provides a high-quality, structured learning experience that combines theoretical knowledge, professional networking, and practical leadership application.
Drawing on decades of industry experience, Evans-Benson offered insights into the differences between the two, along with tips for better customer engagement and more.
METRO Executive Editor Alex Roman presented the award to the operation’s President/CEO Scott Parsons at the United Motorcoach Association’s EXPO in Birmingham, Alabama.
The brand strategy was developed based on input from RTA board members, staff, and stakeholders, along with secondary research conducted over a months-long process.
In close coordination with regional partners including Caltrain and BART, the agency ensured convenient interagency connections and seamless transfers for game-day passengers.
Because rail has high fixed costs and low marginal savings, it is impossible to close the projected FY27 $376M deficit with service cuts and fare increases alone, said agency officials.
The total ridership includes all fixed-route bus service, C-VAN paratransit service, The Current, Vanpool, and special event service. Almost all individual routes saw year-over-year increases from 2024 to 2025.
The Renton Transit Center project will relocate and rebuild the Renton Transit Center to better serve the regional Stride S1 line, local King County Metro services, and the future RapidRide I Line.
