Suggested Citation:
Hough, Jill and Susan L. Handy (2022)

Public Transportation Ridership Patterns: Past, Present, and Possible Future Trends

Public transportation has played a key role in mobility since its inception in the late 1600s. Urban and rural areas have utilized various modes of transportation to provide public mobility. Ridership patterns have fluctuated through time, and this chapter addresses some of the factors, such as demographic shifts, work-style shifts, new competition, and underinvestment, that influence ridership trends. The authors also address social and environmental impacts of public transit and what it will take to increase ridership.

Key words: Mobility, Demographics, Ridership trends, Social, Economic, Environmental importance, Equity, Transportation network companies (TNCs)