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July 2012
Public transit ridership jumped 5 percent in the first quarter compared with the same 2011 period, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Nearly 2.7 billion trips were taken, marking the fifth consecutive quarter that ridership increased.
Light-rail ridership rose 6.7 percent, heavy-rail ridership grew 5.5 percent and commuter-rail ridership increased 3.9 percent. In a ridership report, APTA officials said 25 out of 27 light-rail, 14 out of 15 heavy-rail, and 22 out of 27 commuter-rail systems posted year-over-year gains.
Cities with public transit agencies that reported record ridership for the quarter included Ann Arbor, Mich.; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Indianapolis; Ithaca, N.Y.; New York City; Oakland, Calif.; Olympia, Wash.; San Diego; and Tampa, Fla.
APTA officials attributed the ridership growth to rising gas prices, an improving employment picture, more reliable service being provided by transit agencies, and demographic changes in which younger people (age 16 to 34) are driving automobiles less and using public transit more than older generations.
The 10 light-rail systems reporting the highest growth rates were located in: Memphis, Tenn., up 45.7 percent; Salt Lake City, 34.1 percent; Seattle-King County, 19.4 percent; Boston, 12.6 percent; Cleveland, 10.7 percent; Houston, 10.3 percent; Seattle (Sound Transit), 10.3 percent; Los Angeles, 9.9 percent; Sacramento, Calif., 8.5 percent; and St. Louis, 8.2 percent.
The 10 heavy-rail systems reporting the highest first-quarter ridership increases were: Cleveland, up 12.2 percent; San Francisco, 9.7 percent; Chicago, 8.9 percent; Baltimore, 7.8 percent; Boston, 6.4 percent; Jersey City, N.J., 6.1 percent; MTA New York City Transit, 5.6 percent; Lindenwold, N.J., 4.7 percent; MTA Staten Island Railway, 4.5 percent; and Miami, 4.2 percent.
Also during the first quarter, commuter-rail systems in the following areas reported double-digit increases: Anchorage, Alaska, 43.8 percent; Oceanside, Calif., 19.2 percent; San Carlos, Calif., 15 percent; Portland, Ore., 11.1 percent; and Seattle, 10.8 percent.
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