San Diego Metropolitan Transit System ridership reached pre-pandemic levels on the agency’s Free Ride Day event last week, officials announced Tuesday.
Preliminary numbers show more than 280,000 trips were made on MTS buses and trolleys Wednesday, Oct. 4, the highest ridership since March 2020, and a 10.4% increase in ridership compared to the previous week’s daily average.
MTS buses logged nearly 136,000 trips, with trolley ridership estimated to be just over 145,000 trips. The 281,206 trips mark a 5.7% increase over the 2022 Free Ride Day event, according to the transit agency.
“Whether people chose transit to reduce their carbon footprint or to reduce their bill at the gas pump, the ridership from this year’s Free Ride Day serves as a testament to the value of transit in our community,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS board chair and San Diego city councilman.
“As an agency, we will continue to invest in and improve upon our service so that we can continue to welcome new riders onboard,” he said.
The American Public Transportation Association released a report last month showing San Diegans can save an average of $1,244 a month, almost $15,000 annually, by switching from driving to taking transit.
MTS has created a cost calculator to help riders determine how much they could save by taking public transit.
