Comments on: COTA Ridership Up Significantly in 2008 http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008 News, opinions and reviews on all things Columbus, Ohio. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:01:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Walker http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-84179 Walker Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:54:06 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-84179 <strong>COTA keeps rolling - Lower gas prices haven't stopped ridership increase</strong> Saturday,  April 25, 2009 2:02 PM BY BILL BUSH THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH <em>When gasoline prices surged to more than $4 a gallon last summer, the number of COTA riders surged along with it.</em> <em>Ridership is still up, even though gas prices plunged to under $2 late last year. The 3.84 million passenger trips on COTA during the first three months of this year is up about 6 percent over that quarter last year , and up about 12 percent over the first quarter of 2007.</em> <a href="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/26/wheelsonthebus.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101&title=COTA%27s+growth+keeps+rolling">READ MORE</a> <img src="http://www.dispatch.com/wwwexportcontent/sites/dispatch/local_news/stories/2009/04/26/0424wheelsonthebus.jpg"> COTA keeps rolling – Lower gas prices haven’t stopped ridership increase
Saturday,  April 25, 2009 2:02 PM
BY BILL BUSH
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

When gasoline prices surged to more than $4 a gallon last summer, the number of COTA riders surged along with it.

Ridership is still up, even though gas prices plunged to under $2 late last year. The 3.84 million passenger trips on COTA during the first three months of this year is up about 6 percent over that quarter last year , and up about 12 percent over the first quarter of 2007.

READ MORE

]]> By: johnwirtz http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81298 johnwirtz Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:23:21 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81298 Karl, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/dk7v47">Census journey to work</a> data showed a 2.3% transit mode share for the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.  But that's only for work trips and it's old data since the census was last done in 2000. Am I the only nerd looking forward to the 2010 Census? Karl,
Census journey to work data showed a 2.3% transit mode share for the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.  But that’s only for work trips and it’s old data since the census was last done in 2000.

Am I the only nerd looking forward to the 2010 Census?

]]> By: Core_Models http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81294 Core_Models Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:21:25 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81294 "The true test is whether COTA can sustain these numbers when gas prices are relatively low" Ridership has continued to increase under rock bottom gas prices the last several months. [quote]The increases in 2008 are continuing in 2009. For the week ending March 1, COTA ridership was up 7.6 percent over the same week a year ago. Year-to-date ridership is up 4.5 percent.[/quote] Considering gas prices were down 60% or so from the year before, same week, I'd say that's your answer. “The true test is whether COTA can sustain these numbers when gas prices are relatively low”

Ridership has continued to increase under rock bottom gas prices the last several months.

[quote]The increases in 2008 are continuing in 2009. For the week ending March 1, COTA ridership was up 7.6 percent over the same week a year ago. Year-to-date ridership is up 4.5 percent.[/quote]

Considering gas prices were down 60% or so from the year before, same week, I’d say that’s your answer.

]]> By: karlbenz http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81293 karlbenz Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:05:56 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81293 I honestly thought that more than 57,000 trips were taken on the system/day. I heard some people say that ridership was up by like 20% too - not that 10% is bad. Keep in mind though, 57,000 trips is actually about 28,500 PEOPLE using the system per day, since most people obvi need to take two trip segments to get back home. What would be more interesting to know is, what percentage of Cbus commuters take public transit? That would be a far more useful metric. They could significantly increase ridership if they built bus shelters, and put up schedules at the bus stops. That would draw more users to the network than say..... well, i wont go there, but I think you know might know where im going with this. The true test is whether COTA can sustain these numbers when gas prices are relatively low, and our economy isnt in shambles. Otherwise, I dunno if 2011 or 2012 will offer such hopeful figures for COTA. I honestly thought that more than 57,000 trips were taken on the system/day. I heard some people say that ridership was up by like 20% too – not that 10% is bad.

Keep in mind though, 57,000 trips is actually about 28,500 PEOPLE using the system per day, since most people obvi need to take two trip segments to get back home. What would be more interesting to know is, what percentage of Cbus commuters take public transit? That would be a far more useful metric.

They could significantly increase ridership if they built bus shelters, and put up schedules at the bus stops. That would draw more users to the network than say….. well, i wont go there, but I think you know might know where im going with this.

The true test is whether COTA can sustain these numbers when gas prices are relatively low, and our economy isnt in shambles. Otherwise, I dunno if 2011 or 2012 will offer such hopeful figures for COTA.

]]> By: Walker http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81290 Walker Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:08:53 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81290 Lots of great additional data & analysis over at XING: <a href="http://xingcolumbus.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/cota-ridership-up-but-still-room-for-improvement/">LINK</a> Lots of great additional data & analysis over at XING: LINK

]]> By: Walker http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81286 Walker Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:02:08 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81286 I bet the economy had something to do with this part: <p><em>Nationally, public transit ridership was up <strong>4 percent</strong> in 2008. Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation last year, the highest level of ridership in 52 years.</em></p> <p>And COTA had something to do with this part:</p> <p><em>The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) provided over 16.4 million passenger trips in 2008, an increase of nearly <strong>10 percent </strong>over 2007. </em></p> I bet the economy had something to do with this part:

Nationally, public transit ridership was up 4 percent in 2008. Americans took 10.7 billion trips on public transportation last year, the highest level of ridership in 52 years.

And COTA had something to do with this part:

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) provided over 16.4 million passenger trips in 2008, an increase of nearly 10 percent over 2007.

]]> By: jeffz http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81285 jeffz Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:10:34 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81285 This may seem counter-intuitive, but I read somewhere that a struggling economy actually reduces ridership on transit because people who lose their jobs aren't commuting to work everyday.  Now, this could be counteracted by people who are just having to cut back so they take the bus instead of driving. Keep up this momentum and maybe a streetcar will be in our future... This may seem counter-intuitive, but I read somewhere that a struggling economy actually reduces ridership on transit because people who lose their jobs aren’t commuting to work everyday.  Now, this could be counteracted by people who are just having to cut back so they take the bus instead of driving.

Keep up this momentum and maybe a streetcar will be in our future…

]]> By: lifeontwowheels http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81282 lifeontwowheels Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:52:54 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81282 I think it's a little of everything. I've noticed, since partially moving back with my parents and catching rides in the morning, that COTA has advertising on 610 for the express services. I think it's partly the service changes. We have a few new park and rides, routes have been extended, service seems better (walked out of lunch today, saw my bus go past and thought I was in for a wait. Nope, another bus just behind I was able to catch.) and it seems a bit more efficient. Seems the economy is playing a role. Paying $60 for an express pass for the month and having "reliable" transportation is probably far better for some folks than having the car die on them. I think the gas spike last summer helped people reach the breaking point, we saw numbers rise despite gas falling. I think it’s a little of everything.

I’ve noticed, since partially moving back with my parents and catching rides in the morning, that COTA has advertising on 610 for the express services.

I think it’s partly the service changes. We have a few new park and rides, routes have been extended, service seems better (walked out of lunch today, saw my bus go past and thought I was in for a wait. Nope, another bus just behind I was able to catch.) and it seems a bit more efficient.

Seems the economy is playing a role. Paying $60 for an express pass for the month and having “reliable” transportation is probably far better for some folks than having the car die on them. I think the gas spike last summer helped people reach the breaking point, we saw numbers rise despite gas falling.

]]> By: JonMyers http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81280 JonMyers Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:06:44 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81280 Is this the work of COTA or is this simply the economy and the economics of commuting playing out? I don't have the answer, just asking the question. Is this the work of COTA or is this simply the economy and the economics of commuting playing out? I don’t have the answer, just asking the question.

]]> By: Walker http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81278 Walker Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:59:53 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81278 I'm particularly impressed by this:<em> "COTA’s ridership increase was among the highest among comparable transit authorities.</em>" Nice. I’m particularly impressed by this: “COTA’s ridership increase was among the highest among comparable transit authorities.”

Nice.

]]> By: Columbusite http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81274 Columbusite Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:35:57 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81274 I know I added to that number during -0 weather. I know I added to that number during -0 weather.

]]> By: lifeontwowheels http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81271 lifeontwowheels Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:25:59 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81271 And yet people will still claim the buses run empty... Great job COTA! And yet people will still claim the buses run empty…

Great job COTA!

]]> By: michaels14 http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-up-significantly-in-2008/comment-page-1#comment-81267 michaels14 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:58:00 +0000 http://www.columbusunderground.com/?p=6140#comment-81267 Bravo to folks using public transportation. Bravo to folks using public transportation.

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