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Home » Archives » February 2006 » Even With Decline in Gas Prices in November, Strong Ridership Trend Continues As More Than 25 Agencies Show Double Digit Increases
02/04/2006: "Even With Decline in Gas Prices in November, Strong Ridership Trend Continues As More Than 25 Agencies Show Double Digit Increases"
With high gas prices in the third quarter of 2005, national transit ridership grew by 3.3 % from the same period in 2004, according to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). At the same time that transit ridership was increasing during the 2005 third quarter, Americans parked their cars and vehicle miles of travel (VMT) decreased by 0.2%, according to the Federal Highway Administration statistics. Additionally, a recent survey of transit systems conducted by APTA indicates that this growing ridership trend continued in November, despite a drop in gas prices that month.The 2005 third quarter report shows that all types of public transportation showed increases. Light rail showed the largest increase at 8.8%. Some cities and one state had larger light rail increases than the national average: Minneapolis (70.9%), Tampa (22.1%), Sacramento (18.2%), Los Angeles (15.9%), San Diego (15.1%), Houston (14.8%), and New Jersey (14.1%).
Commuter rail showed the second highest national ridership increase for the 2005 third quarter of 4.6%. Larger individual ridership increases were experienced in the following areas: Chesterton, IN (10.4%), Philadelphia (9.9%), Harrisburg (8.9%), San Carlos, CA (7.9%), New Jersey (6.7%), Los Angeles (5.7%).
Heavy rail (subway) lines across the country averaged a 4.3% increase. Some major increases in heavy rail ridership were experienced in the following localities: Cleveland (7.8%), Los Angeles (7.7%), Philadelphia (7.6%), Boston (7.3%), Washington (6.3%), Chicago (6.2%), Jersey City - Port Authority of NY/NJ (5.4%), and Staten Island (5.0%).
Other types of public transportation showed the following increases: Bus (2.5%), Demand Response (3.2%) and Trolleybus (0.2%).
APTA recently conducted a survey of 86 large and small U.S. transit agencies regarding November ridership figures to see if ridership trends continued, even as gas prices declined. This survey indicated 88% of the agencies reported transit ridership continued at higher rates than a year earlier, despite the fact that gas prices went down in November. In some places, transit systems reported increases in double digits. These include Atlanta, Salt Lake City and Oklahoma City among others.
