Transit Facts

Frequently Asked Questions About Public Transportation

What is Public Transportation?

Public transportation includes all vehicle services designed to transport customers on local and regional routes. These services include: private and public buses; trolleybuses; vanpools; jitneys' demand response services; heavy and light rail; commuter rail; automated guideway transit; included plane; cable cars; monorails; and ferryboats.

Public transportation provides personal mobility and freedom.
Every dollar invested in public transportation projects generates from $4 to $9 in local economic activity.
Every $1 billion invested by the federal government in public transportation infrastructure supports approximately 47,500 jobs.
Public transportation is an immediate means of helping our environment and conserving energy.
Public transportation helps relieve traffic congestion, reducing hours of delay in major travel corridors.
Non-users benefit as a result of public transportation

Public transportation riders are diverse: People age 65 or older represent 7 percent of riders; 18 years and younger 10 percent; women 52 percent; White, 45 percent; African-Americans, 31 percent; Hispanic, 18 percent and Asian and Native Americans, 6 percent.
In 2005, 9.7 billion unlinked trips were taken using public transportation. 60.3% were by bus, 28.3% by heavy rail, and 11.4% for all other modes combined.
Since 1995, public transportation has risen 25.1 percent -- faster than highway travel.
It is estimated that more than 33 million trips are taken each weekday in the U.S.
Over 14 million Americans ride public transportation each weekday. In total 28 million Americans ride public transportation on a less frequent but regular basis.

There are approximately 6,000 public transportation systems operating in the United States and Canada, with the majority of these agencies operating more than one type of service.
The majority of these agencies operate more than one mode of service.
About 2,000 agencies provide bus service; 5,300 agencies operate demand response service; and 150 agencies operate other modes.
Many agencies typically contract additional services with private operators, further increasing the number of total public transportation providers.

In 2004, America's public transportation systems employed more than 346,000 workers to operate, maintain and manage all modes of transit.
The majority of employees (61 percent), work in bus service, followed by 14 percent in heavy rail, 13 percent in demand response, 7 percent in commuter rail, 2 percent in light rail, 2 percent in other rail modes and 1 percent in trolleybus.
In addition, 10,000-20,000 professionals work under contract to public transportation systems or are employed by companies and government offices that support these systems.
The public transportation fleet is comprised of 139,000 vehicles in active service. Of this number, buses represent 56 percent; demand response vehicles, 26 percent; heavy rail cars, 8 percent; commuter rail cars, 4 percent; light rail cars, 1 percent; and all other modes, 5 percent.