2019 Bus Ridership Statistics

[NewFlyer 230]

1 hour ago, JubaionBx12+SBS said:

I've come to the conclusion that the numbers are straight bogus. I'm supposed to believe that over the course of the past few years, and especially in 2019, all of the Bronx heavy hitters have been dropping riders like flies which doesn't pass the eyeball test based on observations of the buses in service and makes no sense based on how in demand the corridors in question are. It's just not grounded in reality. Take the Bx12 which the MTA says had average weekday ridership of 48,703 in 2014. That number 5 years later dropped to 40,2xx (don't know the exact number off the top of my head but I did see the numbers at work last week). This is similar tanking to what has happened with the infamous B41 and M101 except the Bx12 is just a mild example when considering the Bronx as a whole. The Bx35 and Bx36 lost 10%+ just in 2019 based on these numbers. There's no way those routes are losing the massive numbers the stats would indicate especially since they don't have half the factors working against them as say a B41 or M101.

I see that Manhattan usage has increased based on the numbers and to be honest that's even more suspicious. Combine that with subway usage going up from 2018 (and most subway trips originating in or destined for Manhattan) and it just entrenches the idea that our transit system is Manhattan centric. It's just a slap in the face to commuters who commute in the outer boroughs. Buses in Manhattan are generally slower and more likely to be replicated by a subway trip than buses in the outer boroughs so how in the world are these no longer tanking while the Bronx and Brooklyn is? The story just doesn't add up, until you look and see the major increases are coming from SBS routes (look at how the M14, 15, 23, 34, 79 and 86 did compared with the rest of Manhattan). It makes me think they envision Manhattan SBS as an extension of the subway so they are going make those routes look as good as possible.

Routes like the B6, B46, B35 can replace the Bx12 in my first paragraph and it would still apply. It's just ridiculous that the heaviest routes in two major boroughs are losing riders at 10-20% clips over the last few years while the buses on them remain crowded at low headways and are just as necessary for commuters as they were in their hey day. Something tells me that the 2014 numbers more reflect the commuting patterns in 2019 than the 2019 numbers.

I find it highly ironic that routes like the Q12, B35, B38, Bx35 and Bx36 all saw sizeable declines in 2019 and they are all recent (within the last two years) artic conversions. Not going to say the presence of artics and their accompanying factors has anything to do with these losses but it doesn't speak to the desire to increase artics across the fleet.

In good news, at least for folks who care about the B82, that route has now joined the top 10 in ridership club for 2019. It replaces the (wait for it.....) B35 which has now fallen out. The B35 not in the top 10 is one of the most shocking (or likely bogus) things about these numbers.

To show just how bad the MTA states our ridership losses to be every route in the top 10 in 2014 had over 10 million trips over the year. Now that 10 million annual trip landmark is limited to the top 5 in the numbers. There's definitely something to be said.

I find it shocking too that routes that have been a mainstay with the top 10 highest ridership has seen large decreases. 
I do think farebeating plays a huge role in that because it seems like nowadays more and more people are getting so bold enough  get on the bus and walk pass the driver without paying like it’s nothing. They don’t even bother to give their little sob story anymore. I’ve witnessed this on plenty of routes throughout the city. On select bus routes tickets are rarely checked so I guess what pops up in the mind of some is why bother paying. Buses are also getting slower and slower and I think that’s due to the increase in population of this city and the addition of more cars on the rode.

The few times I’ve rode the bus during this pandemic it has become more evident to me just how slow some bus routes are on a norm. On the Q20 for example, I’ve experienced almost every time I rode it the drivers would drive very slow, some would stop at each stop for a little while just to stay on schedule. However it seems like the Q44 Select bus is unaffected as the buses don’t seem to stop and wait for a while at the stops like the local buses. There has been a few times where I said screw waiting for the Q20 I’ll just walk. 

[checkmatechamp13]

@JubaionBx12+SBS The only thing I can think of for the artic routes is maybe the articulated buses making farebeating a bit easier, as well as the lower frequency (as a result of artics) driving away some riders.

[Hound]

Like I've always said-with the rampant farebeating,there's no way these figures are accurate.

[bobtehpanda]

Do MTA buses have passenger counters on them? I know some systems use counting systems based on either weight or infrared at the doors, IIRC.

[B35 via Church]

2 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

Do MTA buses have passenger counters on them? I know some systems use counting systems based on either weight or infrared at the doors, IIRC.

2 years or so ago, an APC pilot of sorts was supposed to have been carried out on SI's express routes.... Don't know what ever happened/materialized from it, or if anything even/ever took place...

[NY1635]

9 hours ago, bobtehpanda said:

Do MTA buses have passenger counters on them? I know some systems use counting systems based on either weight or infrared at the doors, IIRC.

No. There's way to many math errors on the ridership numbers. The data doesn't really factor in bus to bus transfers or buses running on the same street to pick up passengers heading to the same destination. New Yorkers are different in that they take whatever comes first or will get them to their destinations the fastest without traffic. 

[B35 via Church]

4 hours ago, NY1635 said:

New Yorkers are different in that they take whatever comes first or will get them to their destinations the fastest without traffic. 

...which has nothing to do with passenger counting.

[Cait Sith]

*sits back and laughs at how the Q24 is losing ridership*

[B35 via Church]

On 4/24/2020 at 3:36 PM, Cait Sith said:

*sits back and laughs at how the Q24 is losing ridership*

Depending on how much stock you want to put into these stats, there's something to be said that the Q56 has about the same level of weekday patronage - but travels about 2 miles less and runs directly under a subway line.... It's also lost almost double the amt. of riders/day the Q24 did too...

To me, that says Brooklynites are using the Q24 more & Queens patrons are using it less.... Imagine how much worse the overall daily stat would be, if it didn't get extended (back) to Lafayette/Patchen.....

Ultimate point being, Q24 should have way more riders than it should (in Queens).... Your laughter (lol) is justified.

Edited April 25, 2020 by B35 via Church