Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The fact that it's returned to the pre-recession levels seems like a sign that there is in fact a shift from driving to transit. Driving has yet to recover from the decline following the recession.
Not arguing with the conclusion, but by picking Williamsburg, Brooklyn as their starting point they found perhaps one of the most atypical urban spots they could — a very transit-oriented area that's had a huge boom in young people, who are more likely to use transit off hours to go out for fun.
The fact that it's returned to the pre-recession levels seems like a sign that there is in fact a shift from driving to transit.
I think it's primarily a sign that people are working again and need to commute. I do believe that there is a long term trend towards transit, but I think this has more to do with employment than anything else.
Not arguing with the conclusion, but by picking Williamsburg, Brooklyn as their starting point they found perhaps one of the most atypical urban spots they could — a very transit-oriented area that's had a huge boom in young people, who are more likely to use transit off hours to go out for fun.
Further in the article they found similar trends across most of the larger metros.
Here is a quote about my local system:
Quote:
The ridership trends certainly point in that direction. Off-peak ridership on BART has grown steadily since mid-2011, often outpacing rush-hour rates. In October 2012, for instance, peak ridership grew 10 percent on the year before while weekday off-peak grew 14 percent, Saturday grew 21 percent, and Sunday grew 13 percent. The agency made off-peak expansions several years ago only to cut them during the recession, but it's started making them again on what Radulovich calls the "shoulders of the peak." Those first few trains after rush-hour service ended were just too crowded.
The early adopters of tomorrow's all-day transit systems are likely to be big agencies in major cities.
Radulovich sees a number of reasons for the rise in off-peak demand. Tech companies keeping unusual hours. Service workers returning to the job market on swing shifts. A declining rate of car-ownership among riders. Perhaps above all, a rise in residential and business development in and around BART stations — and not just those located downtown. Altogether it amounts to a culture of residents less reliant on the automobile for whatever trip purpose, at whatever trip time.
"I think those folks are going to want BART to run more frequently and be more convenient at more hours of the day," he says. "They're going to be interested in off-peak trips, they're going to be interested in Saturday and Sunday frequency, they're going to be interested in evening frequency, they're going to be interested in late-night service, in a way that our traditional park and ride suburban constituency is not."
Most of the BART stations are in car-oriented suburbia with large parking lots. Even most of the Oakland stations have large surface parking lots, though some are in walkable areas.
Nowadays, I rarely get a seat off-peak. Trains are packed!
I agree with Jade that it's the larger metros that are seeing the most consistent increase (that I've paid attention to personally). The smaller to mid-sized metros seem to be more subjective and inconsistent.
For example, Richmond VA has seen pretty consistent annual numbers (up and down every year by a little):
There are so many out there that I can't speak intelligently about the larger trend, but this is what I've seen in a handful of the smaller metros. Perhaps transit culture is less consistent when there's less gravity to urban living on a metro-wide basis (which is what you may get from small metro to small metro). Maybe it has to do with economy; where the economy is booming, roads are still the way to go...?
I agree with Jade that it's the larger metros that are seeing the most consistent increase (that I've paid attention to personally). The smaller to mid-sized metros seem to be more subjective and inconsistent.
For example, Richmond VA has seen pretty consistent annual numbers (up and down every year by a little):
There are so many out there that I can't speak intelligently about the larger trend, but this is what I've seen in a handful of the smaller metros. Perhaps transit culture is less consistent when there's less gravity to urban living on a metro-wide basis (which is what you may get from small metro to small metro). Maybe it has to do with economy; where the economy is booming, roads are still the way to go...?
It could also do with congestion and convenience. If you are in a metro where traffic isn't an issue, then investigating alternatives isn't so important. Or the coverage is patchy enough that it isn't a real option. If the bus stop is far away from your home or office, you don't really need to investigate the schedules.
Although I'd like to see transit everywhere, development needs to be smart in terms of neighborhoods and destinations. That's why I think it is important to look at "transportation" from a holistic view. It is not only cars or only buses or only rail. You might need a mix of modes to make it work, including walking, biking, scooters and skateboards.
It could also do with congestion and convenience. If you are in a metro where traffic isn't an issue, then investigating alternatives isn't so important. Or the coverage is patchy enough that it isn't a real option. If the bus stop is far away from your home or office, you don't really need to investigate the schedules.
Although I'd like to see transit everywhere, development needs to be smart in terms of neighborhoods and destinations. That's why I think it is important to look at "transportation" from a holistic view. It is not only cars or only buses or only rail. You might need a mix of modes to make it work, including walking, biking, scooters and skateboards.
Good point, in Richmond, traffic is pretty good and parking is cheap/plentiful.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
