#ridership-growth

#ridership-growth

The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System faces a roughly $500 million funding gap over the next four years, but it's not due to diminishing services. Regional riders are enthusiastic about the transit system - it has one of the fastest growing riderships in the country and ranks third for the number of passenger trips and passenger miles in California. However, like other major transit agencies such as BART, the MTS kept things moving after the pandemic through one-time emergency funds from federal and state subsidies.

Caltrain has enjoyed a 56 percent increase in ridership this year, earning it the title of the fastest-growing transit agency, according to the American Public Transportation Association. This, of course, corresponds with the rollout of more frequent schedules and its newly electrified service. From a Caltrain release: The increased ridership and satisfaction levels follow the launch of its new high-performance electric trains in September 2024 that offer a better experience for Caltrain riders and provide faster and more frequent service.

The data reflects how trust in autonomous vehicles has grown, with Waymo achieving a staggering 5,500% increase in ridership within just two years.