As remote work, ride-sharing, and alternative eco-friendly modes of transportation increase in popularity, communities dependent on the availability and affordability of public transportation are feeling the pinch. In New York State, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) operates one of the largest transportation networks throughout the United States.
According to an MTA report, “Subway and Bus Ridership for 2023,” the MTA saw continued post-pandemic growth in ridership. The data shows that the MTA served an average daily ridership on subways of nearly 3.6 million, resulting in an annual paid ridership of 1.15 billion; The average daily ridership on buses was nearly 1.4 million, or an annual paid ridership of 426 million. The data confirms that these numbers are approximately 60% of the paid ridership reported in 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.