Public transit systems in major U.S. cities are starting to focus on non-rush hour travelers as pre-pandemic commuting patterns shift and transportation needs change.

“The new normal for big-city transit agencies is the off-peak rider,” asserts Alissa Walker in Curbed. “The same numbers of people aren’t flooding into central business districts every weekday, but ridership for many agencies has surged on afternoons and weekends.”
Walker continues, “Existing MTA schedules specifically fail workers who have shift or service jobs that don’t follow nine-to-five commuting patterns, according to the ‘Round the Clock is the New Rush Hour’ report by the City Comptroller’s Office.”
These off-peak riders are the people the MTA had in mind when it announced a four-phase plan to increase off-peak service by 2024. The service expansion will start in July with weekend enhancements on three lines — G, J, M — selected because their ridership trends are already demonstrating faster recovery compared to elsewhere on the system.
On the question of whether improving off-peak service would help the agency’s struggling bottom line, Walker writes, “Transit expenditure expert Alon Levy estimates increasing MTA service to six minutes or less systemwide could increase ridership by 15 percent,” though that may not directly translate into higher revenue.
Making New York City transit faster, better, and safer is necessary but not sufficient for bringing back ridership and pulling the MTA back from its fiscal cliff. Walker notes that Gov. Hochul’s state budget also includes a new payroll tax slated to bring over $1 billion in new annual funding for the MTA, and $35 million dedicated to improving off-peak service.
FULL STORY: The Off-Peak Rider Is the Future of the Subway

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code
The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont