BACKGROUND

Public transportation ridership in the United States declined precipitously in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. While transit ridership has recovered nationally to about 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels, recovery has varied across transit agencies by size and mode. 

Transit agencies throughout the United States are reassessing past practices and considering how they might change or adapt to better serve their communities. Many are experimenting with strategies and innovations to increase transit ridership by reshaping transit services in the near- and long-term through changes in current services, new service models, pricing and payment systems, communication, and other approaches.  

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this project are to (1) present cost-effective and evidence-based strategies and innovations to achieve increases in transit ridership in the post-pandemic era at transit agencies of different sizes and modes located in communities with different attributes throughout the United States and (2) identify research needs and strategies beyond the project budget that will help transit agencies increase transit ridership and the value of transit services to their community. 

STATUS: A research  is underway.