Opponents of the transportation referendum have repeatedly claimed that existing light rail systems are suffering low ridership levels far below those predicted before the systems opened. In a related claim, they have stated that transit ridership is declining throughout the country. These false claims are leading residents to believe that building this system would be a waste.
Mobility Mike and Commuter Carly will not rest until Hillsborough County voters know the truth about facts and stats related to the Transportation Referendum!
Using our super-research skills, we have discovered that in comparable communities such as Charlotte, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix, light rail ridership has significantly exceeded initial projections. In Salt Lake City, ridership on the line serving the University of Utah (a school with 10,000 fewer students than the University of South Florida Tampa campus) is double initial projections. The table below summarizes the projected and actual ridership values for these communities.
| System | Projected Ridership | Actual Ridership |
| Charlotte (11/07) | 9,100 per day | 14,500 per day (July 2009) |
| Phoenix (12/08) | 26,000 per day | 34,809 per day (First year of operation) |
| Salt Lake City (1999) | 41,300 per week | Exceeding by 40% |
Nationally, the success story for transit ridership continues. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), transit ridership nearly doubled between 1990 and 2000. In fact, transit ridership has grown faster than highway use. Between 1995 and 2003, trips on public transit in the US increased by 22% while highway use climbed only 18.9%. In 2008, the U.S. experienced record transit ridership despite lower gas prices. These increases were largest for light rail systems, with systems in Baltimore, Minneapolis, Sacramento, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Buffalo, and Memphis all experiencing ridership increases of 13-20%.
Even Hillsborough County has seen increases. HART’s ridership has increased 7% annually since 2003, and last year, HART carried an agency record 13 million riders.
Together, this evidence demonstrates that rather than struggling with ridership, ridership levels are higher than projected and are growing every year.
So... struggling ridership? Not according to these numbers -- not according to the facts!
We will continue to spread the true facts and stats surrounding the Transportation Referendum to Hillsborough County voters! Help us by sharing this post with your friends, family, and co-workers.
Heroically Yours,
-Mobility Mike and Commuter Carly
Check the facts:
http://www.gohart.org/whytransit/economic_impact_of_hart_final_july_2010.pdf
http://www.cfte.org/Building_Communities.pdf
http://passengertransport.apta.com/aptapt/issues/2008-12-15/
http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/hart_named_best_transit_agency.html
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