Results tagged “subwayridership”

Whether you're selling candy bars for new basketball uniforms or could use some extra space for your xylophone and stand up bass, you'll be happy to know that there's been more room on the subways so far this year with ridership dramatically down. This past March saw approximately 2.5 million less riders take public transportation compared with March 2008. Of course good news for cramped straphangers isn't exactly music to the MTA's ears. The drop in ridership has given the agency a new budget shortfall to worry about with $7.1 million less in fares coming in than was expected in March alone. Toll collections are offering no relief—bridges and tunnels saw a million less drivers come across them than the year prior as well. How long until the MTA threatens more service cuts or starts charging those pesky two-wheeled "anti-car extremists" for using their crossings? The Post blames the lazy unemployed for no longer paying their fare to go to work and suggests heavier snowfall this winter didn't help either.

Days after announcing that subway ridership was at its highest levels since 1965, NYC Transit has revealed that in January ridership declined for the first time in years. Over the weekend, the MTA reported a 3.9 percent subway ridership increase in 2008, compared to the previous year. Now the AP has learned that in the first month of 2009, average weekday subway ridership plummeted 2 percent, compared to January '08. Transit officials insist they're not bipolar, and blame the abrupt decline on the increasing numbers of unemployed people who simply have nowhere to take the subway to. The news is doubly foreboding because it means less revenue for the MTA and a justification to cut back on service. Also worrying transit officials is the downward spiral in real-estate tax revenues, which are $75 million below already lowered projections. We could go on with the depressing news, but wouldn't you rather watch this video of a really freaky dust storm in Australia?

As the NYC Transit announced that subway and bus ridership had reached 2.37 billion rides in 2008—the most since 1965—some residents protested the elimination of M8 bus service as well as other NYCT cuts. The MTA has proposed a series of fare hikes and service cuts, due to a huge budget deficit for next year and future years, and unless the state finds extra funding by March 25, those dreaded "doomsday budget" proposals will be enacted.

Interesting: The Daily News reports that driver demand to use MTA bridges and tunnels has fallen 4.8% when comparing last month's figures (25 million) to October 2007 (when there were 26.3 million drivers). Another stat: Traffic on the Manhattan crossings was down 4% between September and October. One hypothesis is that recent layoffs mean there's less reason to head into Manhattan. However, average weekday subway ridership increased 4.3% "in the 12 months ending Sept. 30," according to the Post. Yeah, cutting subway service is just what we need.

New data supports what everyone's been thinking: Ridership for the subway--and almost every other mass transit option--is up versus last year. So far, subway ridership is up almost 5% for the first three months of 2008 versus same period last year, and bus ridership is up 1.1%.