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Last year, U.S. public transportation systems registered more than 9.7 billion trips, up 100 million trips compared with 2004, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Light-rail systems posted the biggest gain among transit-rail modes. Double-digit increases were reported by agencies in Minneapolis (168.9 percent), Houston (38 percent), New Jersey (17.8 percent), Salt Lake City (13.3 percent), Sacramento, Calif. (12.8 percent) and Los Angeles (10.5 percent).

Commuter-rail ridership rose 2.8 percent compared with 2004, with large increases reported in San Carlos, Calif. (12.5 percent), Indiana (7.3 percent), Philadelphia (5.4 percent) and Newark, N.J. (5.3 percent).

Meanwhile, heavy-rail ridership increased 2.3 percent despite labor strikes in Philadelphia and New York City.

Since 1995, public transportation ridership has risen 25.1 percent, APTA said.