10.2 Billion Trips Taken On U.S. Public Transportation In 2009

4^th Straight Year of More than 10 Billion Trips Despite the Economic Recession

For the fourth year in a row, Americans took more than 10 billion trips on public transportation in 2009, despite high unemployment, a severe economic recession and lower gas prices, according to a report released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). The 10.2 billion trips taken on U.S. public transportation systems in 2009 is a 3.8 percent decrease from the 52-year modern ridership record that was set in 2008.  Bus and rail service cutbacks resulting from lower state and local funding also contributed to the ridership decline.

“Given last year’s economic hardship, this small decrease in ridership from a record number of ridership trips in 2008, indicates that support for public transit remains strong,” said APTA President William Millar.“Considering that nearly 60 percent of riders take public transportation to commute to and from work, it is not surprising that ridership declined in light of the many Americans who lost their jobs last year.”

To read more about this article on American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) website, please see the following link.