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02-25-2007, 02:11 PM
Subway ridership highest in 55 years
By Chuck Bennett, amNewYork Staff Writer
February 23, 2007
Not since the days when President Harry Truman was in office has New York City had so many subway riders.
Ridership last year hit its highest levels since 1952, with 1.5 billion trips, according to data obtained Thursday by amNewYork.
When buses are factored in, ridership hits 2.2 billion, the highest since 1969, when the fare was 20 cents and the Mets won their first championship.
Average weekday ridership, meanwhile, hit 7.2 million, a 1.9% jump from 2005.
Transit officials said the continued gain stems from the city's strong economy and the growing popularity of discounted MetroCards.
The average fare when bonus rides and unlimited passes are factored in is $1.29. Almost 85 percent of all riders use some form of discounted cards and nearly half use weekly or monthly unlimited MetroCards.
The Brooklyn segment of the N line saw the most growth, a 13 percent increase for an estimated total of 12 million trips.
Officials credited population growth in the neighborhoods served by the line along with faster trips along the Manhattan Bridge.
New York City Transit is also testing its brand new high-tech R160 trains along the N.
Significant increases of between 6 and 8 percent were reported along the White Plains Road segment of the No. 2 and 5 lines, the Myrtle Avenue section of the M line, and the Central Park West portion of the A, B, C an D lines.
Bus ridership, which dropped significantly during the crime-ridden decades of the 1960s and 1970s, hasn't seen as dramatic a comeback. Last year there were 741 million bus trips, a .7% increase over 2005. Weekend bus ridership actually declined to 2.5 million trips, about 47,000 less than 2005.
Trips, Percent Increase Over 2005
Total Average Weekday Ridership 7.2 million +1.9%
Total Subway Ridership
1.5 billion trips +3.4 %
Total Bus Ridership
741 million trips +0.7 %
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.
By Chuck Bennett, amNewYork Staff Writer
February 23, 2007
Not since the days when President Harry Truman was in office has New York City had so many subway riders.
Ridership last year hit its highest levels since 1952, with 1.5 billion trips, according to data obtained Thursday by amNewYork.
When buses are factored in, ridership hits 2.2 billion, the highest since 1969, when the fare was 20 cents and the Mets won their first championship.
Average weekday ridership, meanwhile, hit 7.2 million, a 1.9% jump from 2005.
Transit officials said the continued gain stems from the city's strong economy and the growing popularity of discounted MetroCards.
The average fare when bonus rides and unlimited passes are factored in is $1.29. Almost 85 percent of all riders use some form of discounted cards and nearly half use weekly or monthly unlimited MetroCards.
The Brooklyn segment of the N line saw the most growth, a 13 percent increase for an estimated total of 12 million trips.
Officials credited population growth in the neighborhoods served by the line along with faster trips along the Manhattan Bridge.
New York City Transit is also testing its brand new high-tech R160 trains along the N.
Significant increases of between 6 and 8 percent were reported along the White Plains Road segment of the No. 2 and 5 lines, the Myrtle Avenue section of the M line, and the Central Park West portion of the A, B, C an D lines.
Bus ridership, which dropped significantly during the crime-ridden decades of the 1960s and 1970s, hasn't seen as dramatic a comeback. Last year there were 741 million bus trips, a .7% increase over 2005. Weekend bus ridership actually declined to 2.5 million trips, about 47,000 less than 2005.
Trips, Percent Increase Over 2005
Total Average Weekday Ridership 7.2 million +1.9%
Total Subway Ridership
1.5 billion trips +3.4 %
Total Bus Ridership
741 million trips +0.7 %
Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.
