PSTA Ridership Continues to Climb

Ridership on PSTA buses continues to increase as agency officials say that average weekday ridership in June increased by nearly 2,000 more over June 2012. Last month the agency carried an estimated 1,135,937 riders making for the second highest riderhip for that month in agency history. “Last year we averaged nearly 44,000 rides every weekday, but this year, that figure jumped by almost 2,000 to nearly 46,000 weekday rides. That’s a strong gain no matter how you slice it,” says PSTA spokesperson Bob Lasher.

Officials say that since June 2012 had one more weekday than June 2013, the agency just missed setting a new all-time ridership record for the month. They say ridership drops to about 30,000 on Saturdays and 16,000 on Sundays. “A 4% increase in weekday ridersihp is tremendous and proof that demand for mass transit - and the need for improving our transit system - continues to grow,” Lasher adds.

To plan a trip or learn more about riding PSTA, just visit the agency’s award-winning website at: www.psta.net. Patrons are also encouraged to use PSTA’s new Real Time Bus Information system to find out exactly when the next bus will arrive at their stop. Simply logon to www.ridepsta.net or call the PSTA InfoLine at (727) 540-1900.

Riders can also keep up with the agency’s plans for the future of transportation in Pinellas County and participate in the community conversation helping to shape those plans at www.greenlightpinellas.org.