Rise in ridership tied to slide in economy?

From Omnitrans today:

In a continuing trend, Omnitrans bus ridership has seen remarkable growth this fall, climbing by 18.2 percent in September and 12.8 percent in October. In October alone, the agency provided 1.5 million passenger trips; the two-month numbers mark the fastest growth in Omnitrans ridership in more than a decade.

Perhaps most significantly, student ridership increased by more than 60 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2009 (July - September) vs. the same period last year. Student trips also increased by more than 44 percent in October, increasing the group to 11.4 percent of Omnitrans' total ridership (up from 8 percent). The agency attributes this growth in part to the success of its recent "Go Smart" promotion, which offered local college students a free pass during the first week of school and introduced thousands to Omnitrans service for the first time.