While other aspects of urban life are starting to recover to pre-pandemic ‘normals,’ ridership on the nation’s subway systems is still well below average levels.
In 2019, the New York City subway carried 1.7 billion riders. In 2022, that number barely hit 1 billion. As Daniel de Visé reports in The Hill, “The nation’s second- and third-busiest subway systems, in Chicago and Washington, D.C., are faring even worse.”
While many restaurants, bars, and other social institutions have made nearly full recoveries, U.S. subway systems have not seen the same growth. This can be attributed in large part to remote work, which grew from 6 percent to 18 percent between 2019 and 2022, particularly in cities with major subway systems.
But safety concerns, real or perceived, are also keeping riders away from public transit, de Visé writes. While New York City’s subway is vastly safer now than it was in the 1980s or 1990s, the crime rate did double between 2019 and 2022, with nine homicides committed on the system in 2022. With ridership revenue remaining low and federal COVID-19 relief funds drying up, transit agencies around the country are looking for new funding sources to sustain their operations.
The article notes that smaller rapid transit systems and bus lines are recovering more successfully, partly because more bus riders are transit-dependent and work in industries less impacted by remote work.
FULL STORY: As pandemic wanes, subway cars remain half-empty
Public Transit’s Existential Crisis
U.S. transit systems are still scrambling to find alternate funding sources and adjust their service to new needs as ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Transit Ridership Continues Slow Recovery
Even as gas prices rise, ridership on many public transit systems continues to remain well below pre-pandemic levels.
Houston Transit Ridership Highest Since the Pandemic Began
Ridership on Houston trains and buses rose sharply in March, thanks in part to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and a limited return to offices.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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