Transit Ridership

Debate Over Proposed Utica Avenue Subway Line
One of the suggestions in Mayor Bill de Blasio's OneNYC citywide plan is nothing new: an oft-proposed subway extension down Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. Some question whether the area's relatively low density warrants such an expense.

People Still Want Buses, But Buses Aren't Delivering
Urban light rail has enjoyed a renaissance since the Great Recession, but during the same period cities have quietly reduced bus service. Daniel Hertz argues that while rail is commendable, buses remain a vital transit component.
Los Angeles Metrolink to Relieve Caltrain on the Crowded San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco to San Jose Caltrain commuter rail line continues to set ridership records, but capacity has not increased, much to riders' chagrin. Starting today, four train sets will add a sixth car, courtesy of Metrolink commuter rail.
Two New Transit Hubs Planned for Cincinnati Neighborhoods
Randy Simes reports on the latest fruits of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's (SORTA) approach to transit planning in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
Report: 10.8 Billion Americans Rode Transit in 2014
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released its annual report on public transit ridership. Although more Americans are taking public transit, the trend doesn't hold in every city.
Will Plummeting Gas Prices Threaten Recent Transit Ridership Gains?
As gas prices have fallen, driving has increased. October driving mileage figures show an increase of 3 percent from a year earlier. A shift away from public transit may cause transit providers to rethink expansion plans.
SEPTA Tops for Women Transit Riders
An informal survey of transit ridership data reveals that Philadelphia's SEPTA has the highest percentage of women riders. But what does that data say about SEPTA and transit in general?
Transit Survey Answers the Who and Why of American Transit Use
A new survey from TransitCenter surveyed 11,846 Americans on their transit use, living environment, upbringing, and personal characteristics.

Shouldn't Transit Managers Actually Ride Transit?
Eric Jaffe lays out the case for why individuals in charge of transit systems should ride transit, and what problems stem from them not doing so right now.

Comparing Transit Ridership
Data journalism site FiveThirtyEight wades into the complex world of transit ridership data, looking for insights into which cities make use of robust transit systems, and which still have work to do.

Arizona Residents Ditching Cars, Taking Transit
A new report finds that residents of Arizona are driving less—much, much less. Arizonans drive less that they did in the 1990s, in fact. Despite these trends, the state government has not adjusted its traffic forecasting models.
Liberals More Likely to Use Public Transit
Digging further into a recent report from the Pew Research Center that finds growing political polarization among Americans, Emily Badger finds use of public transit runs along ideological lines.

How Well Does Light Rail Attract New Transit Riders?
The answer to the question in the headline is “not very.” Thirty years into the initial experiment, however, light rail has not been the game changer it was hoped to be.
More Criticism of Transit Record Claims
A pair of articles pushes back on a recent study that claims public transit use in the United States is reaching record levels.
How Important is High Frequency Transit Service?
Earlier this month, Portland’s TriMet restored high frequency bus service to ten bus routes around the city. Jarrett Walker makes the case that the frequency of service can make or break a city’s transit system.
Rejecting the Popular Transit Ridership Narrative
A recent study claimed that transit ridership had reached the highest levels seen in 57 years. Wendell Cox, however, argues that the narrative about a “fundamental shift” in the transportation paradigm is a misrepresentation of the truth.
Increases in Transit Ridership Overthrowing Assumptions About Why We Ride
A recent report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) shows transit ridership increasing to historic levels. The surprise is that the increase occurs as gas prices have fallen.
In Transit, Is Better Station Architecture Worth the Cost?
Do transit stations with sleeker designs boost ridership? Evidence suggests that the answer may be yes. But does that mean that we should spend limited transit funds on better architecture?
S.F. Giants Celebratory Parade Causes Transit Surge - Records Broken
The Oct. 31 parade to honor the World Series-winning San Francisco Giants resulted in record-breaking numbers of riders taking BART, Caltrain, SF Muni and ferries to attend the parade who were accommodated by increased service. Why not continue it?
Transfers, Bus Lanes, and More: What LA Metro Isn't Doing to Attract Riders
Columnist David Lazarus looks at how L.A. Metro could increase transit usage, in the wake of reports showing how expensive it is to drive instead.
Pagination
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