Bus ridership stays up despite dropping gasoline prices
Mirroring a trend being reported in cities across the nation, bus ridership numbers in the San Bernardino Valley reached their highest levels in a decade this fall, Omnitrans officials said.
"I think some of this momentum started to happen when gas prices were skyrocketing," said Wendy Williams, Omnitrans spokeswoman. "The encouraging thing is that despite the fact that those gas prices have dropped remarkably quickly, we've seen ridership remain higher than the same period last year."
Ridership increased by 18 percent in September and nearly 13 percent in October, compared to those months last year.
In October, the increase amounted to 1.5 million passenger trips.
During the first two weeks of November, average weekday ridership was 53,134, a 9.5 percent increase.
"It's the same service level we had a year ago," Williams said. "People have, for whatever reason, decided to give it a try and have decided to stick with it. I think people are looking for a variety of ways to save money during a very uncertain economy."
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has also reported an increase in ridership for October. The agency attributes the increase to the economic downturn and residents turning to public transportation as a cheaper alternative to driving.
"I think people are looking to save money any way they can," Williams said.
Omnitrans bus fares are $1.35, or 55 cents for seniors.
A day pass costs $3.50, or $1.60 for seniors.
Similar increases in ridership are being reported in other metropolitan areas across the nation, including Dallas, Seattle and Tulsa, Okla., according to data provided by the American Public Transportation Association in Washington, D.C.
"It seems like they are holding onto their riders despite gas prices going down," said Mantill Williams, spokesman for the association, referring to public transportation agencies. "We're experiencing a time that's unlike any other."
A few factors could undo the trend, such as rising unemployment, Williams said. The majority of people who ride on public transportation use it to commute to work daily.
Financial constraints imposed by local and state governments facing tough budgets could also limit public transportation capacity in the future, he said.
Dana Gabbard of the Southern California Transit Advocates also attributed the rise to the downturn in the economy.
"While the ridership numbers may soften in the months ahead," she wrote in an e-mail, "I expect many people will continue using the bus as a way to help ease the pain of economic hard times."
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