Light rail saw the largest year-over-year percentage increase of any mode of transportation, up 4.5 percent from 2011. Passengers made nearly 22 million additional light rail trips last year, led by noticeable gains for the Los Angeles County Metro Transportation Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and Utah Transit Authority systems.
Heavy rail, which accounts for a far greater number of trips, climbed 1.4 percent for the year. Of the 15 systems reporting data, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (9.7 percent) and San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (7.8 percent) recorded the largest annual percentage increases.
The association (APTA) compiles data from transit agencies tallying unlinked passenger trips. The gains came despite temporary closures forced by Hurricane Sandy, which APTA estimates resulted in 74 million fewer trips.
“Two big reasons for the increased national transit ridership are high, volatile gas prices and in certain localities, a recovering economy with more people returning to work,” APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy said in a news release.
Trips for larger bus systems jumped about 1.2 percent, with 29 of 38 surveyed registering increases. For commuter rail systems, total trips increased slightly, by 0.5 percent, according to APTA.
Of all rail systems reporting data to APTA, the following recorded the largest year-over-year percentage increases:
1) Hampton Roads Transit Light Rail, +986,000 trips (153.6% increase)
2) Denton County Transportation Commuter Rail, +209,100 trips (97.3% increase)
3) Memphis Area Transit Authority Light Rail, +330,000 trips (28.4% increase)
4) Capital Metro - Austin Public Transit Commuter Rail, +125,900 trips (26.83% increase)
5) Dallas Area Rapid Transit Light Rail, +4,909,500 trips (20.75% increase)
6) Los Angeles County MTA Light Rail, +9,377,600 trips (18.46% increase)
7) Utah Transit Authority Commuter Rail, +240,200 trips (14.74% increase)
8) Utah Transit Authority Light Rail, +2,253,900 trips (14.73% increase)
9) Port Authority of Allegheny County Light Rail, +993,500 trips (14.72% increase)
10) San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission Commuter Rail, +104,200 trips (13.96% increase)
The Hampton Roads Transit and Denton County Transportation systems both opened in 2011, explaining their ridership hikes. The nation’s largest rail systems -- MTA New York City Transit and the Chicago Transit Authority – recorded the sharpest increase in terms of raw totals.
Other transit agencies saw ridership declines.
Trips on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s rail line dropped by 9.3 million last year – the largest decrease of any individual system in the country. WMATA’s rail line continues to be plagued by service disruptions and track maintenance as the agency updates its infrastructure.
Data
The following table lists the number of unlinked passenger trips reported to APTA for 113 rail, trolley and large bus systems. For all annual and quarterly data, please refer to APTA's ridership report.
| Transit Agency | Type | 2012 Trips | 2011 Trips | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Regional Transit Authority | Light rail | 5,495,800 | 6,602,400 | -16.76 |
| Hillsborough Area Reg TA (Tampa, Fla.) | Light rail | 300,200 | 358,700 | -16.31 |
| New Mexico Department of Transportation | Commuter Rail | 1,129,200 | 1,242,100 | -9.09 |
| Santa Monica Big Blue Bus | Bus | 19,840,600 | 21,571,900 | -8.03 |
| Port Authority of NY & NJ | Heavy Rail | 70,548,400 | 76,496,800 | -7.78 |
| Trinity Railway Express (Dallas-Ft Worth) | Commuter Rail | 2,182,200 | 2,364,900 | -7.73 |
| King County Dept. of Transportation (Seattle) | Trolley | 19,004,000 | 20,582,100 | -7.67 |
| Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority | Light rail | 6,460,100 | 6,973,400 | -7.36 |
| Regional Transportation Authority (Nashville) | Commuter Rail | 261,500 | 279,300 | -6.37 |
| Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority | Heavy Rail | 70,506,800 | 74,236,400 | -5.02 |
| San Diego Metropolitan Transit System | Light rail | 31,206,900 | 32,748,700 | -4.71 |
| Detroit Department of Transportation | Bus | 32,430,600 | 33,929,200 | -4.42 |
| Southeastern Pa. Transportation Authority | Light rail | 31,688,200 | 32,998,200 | -3.97 |
| MTA Long Island Rail Road | Commuter Rail | 95,037,000 | 98,630,000 | -3.64 |
| Washington Metro Area Transit Authority | Heavy Rail | 280,904,200 | 290,203,500 | -3.20 |
| Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority | Bus | 60,042,900 | 61,989,100 | -3.14 |
| MTA Staten Island Railway | Heavy Rail | 4,445,100 | 4,583,500 | -3.02 |
| Southwest Ohio RTA | Bus | 16,194,200 | 16,690,000 | -2.97 |
| Tri-County Metro Transportation(Portland) | Light rail | 40,875,000 | 41,867,200 | -2.37 |
| Central Ohio Transit Authority | Bus | 18,423,400 | 18,764,100 | -1.82 |
| Virginia Railway Express | Commuter Rail | 4,622,600 | 4,704,100 | -1.73 |
| Milwaukee County Transit System | Bus | 44,049,500 | 44,753,500 | -1.57 |
| Southeastern Pa. Transportation Authority | Heavy Rail | 98,171,300 | 99,706,500 | -1.54 |
| Alameda-Contra Costa TD | Bus | 54,002,200 | 54,764,900 | -1.39 |
| Southeastern Pa. Transportation Authority | Trolley | 5,645,500 | 5,724,000 | -1.37 |
| Capitol Corridor Joint Power (Oakland, Calif.) | Commuter Rail | 1,715,900 | 1,733,400 | -1.01 |
| Southeastern Pa. Transportation Authority | Commuter Rail | 35,405,200 | 35,709,200 | -0.85 |
| Metro Transit Authority of Harris County | Bus | 66,220,400 | 66,673,000 | -0.68 |
| Minneapolis Metro Transit | Commuter Rail | 700,100 | 703,400 | -0.47 |
| Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation | Commuter Rail | 3,668,100 | 3,681,200 | -0.36 |
| Denver Regional Transportation District | Light rail | 20,639,000 | 20,694,700 | -0.27 |
| Southeastern Pa. Transportation Authority | Bus | 164,373,900 | 164,760,500 | -0.23 |
| Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority | Commuter Rail | 36,355,100 | 36,429,400 | -0.20 |
| Minneapolis Metro Transit | Bus | 69,855,100 | 69,782,500 | 0.10 |
| Maryland Transit Administration | Bus | 76,881,900 | 76,789,300 | 0.12 |
| Los Angeles County MTA | Bus | 360,066,200 | 359,521,500 | 0.15 |
| Montgomery County (Maryland) Ride On | Bus | 26,955,400 | 26,914,800 | 0.15 |
| MTA New York City Transit | Bus | 797,452,700 | 795,713,500 | 0.22 |
| New Jersey Transit Corp. | Light rail | 21,365,300 | 21,306,200 | 0.28 |
| Orange County (Calif.) Transp Auth | Bus | 52,574,700 | 52,309,700 | 0.51 |
| Washington Metro Area Transit Authority | Bus | 130,236,700 | 129,416,100 | 0.63 |
| New Jersey Transit Corp. | Commuter Rail | 79,229,400 | 78,611,800 | 0.79 |
| Minneapolis Metro Transit | Light rail | 10,498,200 | 10,400,900 | 0.94 |
| Port Authority Transit Corp. (New Jersey) | Heavy Rail | 10,612,900 | 10,506,400 | 1.01 |
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority | Bus | 32,523,000 | 32,150,300 | 1.16 |
| MTA Metro-North Railroad | Commuter Rail | 82,815,100 | 81,830,100 | 1.20 |
| Chicago Transit Authority | Bus | 314,423,800 | 310,373,100 | 1.31 |
| Phoenix PTD | Bus | 38,967,800 | 38,405,800 | 1.46 |
| Port Auth of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) | Bus | 54,712,900 | 53,926,600 | 1.46 |
| Metra (Chicago) | Commuter Rail | 73,251,800 | 72,166,500 | 1.50 |
| San Francisco Municipal Transportation | Light rail | 52,220,100 | 51,448,700 | 1.50 |
| North County Transit District (Oceanside) | Light rail | 2,448,200 | 2,411,300 | 1.53 |
| Miami-Dade Transit Agency | Bus | 78,215,400 | 76,858,200 | 1.77 |
| MTA New York City Transit | Heavy Rail | 2,544,892,400 | 2,499,514,500 | 1.82 |
| Connecticut DOT | Commuter Rail | 626,500 | 614,100 | 2.02 |
| Hampton Roads Transit | Bus | 16,293,400 | 15,933,900 | 2.26 |
| Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority | Bus | 115,156,100 | 112,562,300 | 2.30 |
| Puerto Rico DOT | Heavy Rail | 11,023,500 | 10,770,100 | 2.35 |
| San Diego Metropolitan Transit System | Bus | 52,616,000 | 51,291,100 | 2.58 |
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority | Light rail | 10,486,400 | 10,219,400 | 2.61 |
| San Francisco Muni Rwy | Bus | 93,001,400 | 90,613,200 | 2.64 |
| San Francisco Muni Rwy | Trolley | 67,743,800 | 65,985,200 | 2.67 |
| Tri-County Metro Transportation (Portland) | Bus | 60,383,100 | 58,756,800 | 2.77 |
| Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority | Heavy Rail | 165,028,800 | 160,512,000 | 2.81 |
| Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority | Trolley | 3,328,600 | 3,236,200 | 2.86 |
| VIA Metropolitan Transit (San Antonio) | Bus | 46,106,600 | 44,781,400 | 2.96 |
| New Jersey Transit Corp. | Bus | 161,678,700 | 156,906,500 | 3.04 |
| Maryland Transit Administration | Heavy Rail | 15,399,400 | 14,939,700 | 3.08 |
| South Florida RTA (Tri-Rail) | Commuter Rail | 4,070,700 | 3,947,900 | 3.11 |
| Maryland Transit Administration | Light rail | 8,729,400 | 8,462,300 | 3.16 |
| Denver Regional Transportation District | Bus | 63,175,300 | 61,175,400 | 3.27 |
| Charlotte Area Transit | Light rail | 4,950,300 | 4,792,100 | 3.30 |
| Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority | Bus | 38,486,600 | 37,198,100 | 3.46 |
| Central Florida RTA | Bus | 28,450,600 | 27,438,400 | 3.69 |
| Los Angeles County MTA | Heavy Rail | 48,703,700 | 46,964,500 | 3.70 |
| Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority | Light rail | 75,996,200 | 73,233,100 | 3.77 |
| Bi-State Dev Agency (Saint Louis, Mo.) | Light rail | 17,128,400 | 16,505,200 | 3.78 |
| Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority | Light rail | 2,855,800 | 2,744,600 | 4.05 |
| Long Beach Transit | Bus | 28,886,000 | 27,732,400 | 4.16 |
| Broward County (Fla.) Transit | Bus | 40,714,800 | 39,041,900 | 4.28 |
| Dallas Area Rapid Transit | Bus | 39,069,300 | 37,466,400 | 4.28 |
| Chicago Transit Authority | Heavy Rail | 231,154,300 | 221,587,400 | 4.32 |
| Alaska Railroad Corporation | Commuter Rail | 120,200 | 115,100 | 4.43 |
| King County Dept. of Transportation (Seattle) | Bus | 95,580,000 | 91,413,800 | 4.56 |
| North County Transit District (Oceanside) | Commuter Rail | 1,618,000 | 1,547,200 | 4.58 |
| PACE Suburban Bus (Arlington Heights, Ill.) | Bus | 32,142,200 | 30,633,100 | 4.93 |
| King County Dept. of Transportation (Seattle) | Light rail | 750,300 | 714,600 | 5.00 |
| Miami-Dade Transit Agency | Heavy Rail | 19,242,800 | 18,295,500 | 5.18 |
| Southern California Regional Rail Authority | Commuter Rail | 11,689,700 | 11,107,600 | 5.24 |
| Penn DOT (Keystone) | Commuter Rail | 599,100 | 566,700 | 5.72 |
| Metro Transit Authority of Harris County | Light rail | 11,397,000 | 10,776,000 | 5.76 |
| Rhode Island Public Transit Authority | Bus | 19,471,500 | 18,337,300 | 6.19 |
| Maryland Transit Administration | Commuter Rail | 8,833,200 | 8,286,000 | 6.60 |
| Valley Metro Rail, Inc. (Phoenix) | Light rail | 14,042,200 | 13,161,800 | 6.69 |
| Northern New England Rail Passenger Auth. | Commuter Rail | 555,200 | 518,500 | 7.08 |
| Saint Louis Bi-State Dev Agency | Bus | 29,497,400 | 27,541,100 | 7.10 |
| Sacramento Regional Transit District | Light rail | 13,872,700 | 12,948,400 | 7.14 |
| San Francisco Bay Area RTD | Heavy Rail | 123,219,300 | 114,325,400 | 7.78 |
| Tri-County Metro Transportation (Portland) | Commuter Rail | 433,800 | 400,800 | 8.23 |
| Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority | Heavy Rail | 6,239,900 | 5,687,300 | 9.72 |
| Sound Transit (Seattle) | Commuter Rail | 2,811,800 | 2,544,000 | 10.53 |
| Sound Transit (Seattle) | Light rail | 9,723,600 | 8,784,900 | 10.69 |
| Caltrain (San Carlos, Calif.) | Commuter Rail | 14,962,800 | 13,243,200 | 12.98 |
| San Joaquin Reg Rail Com | Commuter Rail | 850,800 | 746,600 | 13.96 |
| Port Auth of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) | Light rail | 7,745,000 | 6,751,500 | 14.72 |
| Utah Transit Authority | Light rail | 17,551,800 | 15,297,900 | 14.73 |
| Utah Transit Authority | Commuter Rail | 1,869,700 | 1,629,500 | 14.74 |
| Los Angeles County MTA | Light rail | 60,175,500 | 50,797,900 | 18.46 |
| Dallas Area Rapid Transit | Light rail | 28,568,200 | 23,658,700 | 20.75 |
| Capital Metro - Austin Public Transit | Commuter Rail | 595,200 | 469,300 | 26.83 |
| Memphis Area Transit Authority | Light rail | 1,491,900 | 1,161,900 | 28.40 |
| Denton County Transportation (Lewisville) | Commuter Rail | 424,000 | 214,900 | 97.30 |
| Hampton Roads Transit | Light rail | 1,627,900 | 641,900 | 153.60 |
