Americans Riding Public Transportation in Greater Numbers

Published On: July 22, 2021

FTA announced today that transit ridership is rebounding in communities across the nation. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s actions to tackle the pandemic, more Americans are on the move. As Americans are going to work, shopping and visiting friends and loved ones they are returning to transit. In some communities, transit ridership is up more than 80 percent over early 2020 levels.

The American Rescue Plan and other pandemic relief grants has provided critical funding to transit agencies nationwide, including covering expenses for cleaning and other measures to improve safety. Transit agencies such as EMBARK in Oklahoma City; Miami-Dade Transit in south Florida; Greater Richmond Transit Company in Richmond, Virginia and Kansas City Area Transportation Authority in Kansas City, Missouri have drawn riders through eliminating fares to improve safety for transit drivers and passengers, redesigning routes, discount programs and creative campaigns.

FTA will facilitate an America’s Open and Transit’s Open national conversation throughout the summer to help transit agencies across America rebuild and enhance ridership through listening sessions and amplifying best practices from transit agencies that are gaining riders through social media. Register for the Transit Renewal Listening Sessions I, II or III as well as the National Transit Renewal Summit.

Links:
America’s Open and Transit’s Open
American Rescue Plan
Press release