The North County Transit District Thursday reported record ridership in the recently completed fiscal year, fueled by a larger number of rail passengers.
In the fiscal year that ended June 30, nearly 12.6 million trips were logged on NCTD trains and buses, according to the agency. The total is more than 14,600 above the previous high set in 2000.
The NCTD recorded more than 2.5 million trips on the Sprinter light-rail line between Oceanside and Escondido, and over 1.7 million trips taken on the Coaster train between Oceanside and downtown San Diego — both all-time highs.
NCTD buses handled 8.1 million passenger trips, while 154,000 rides were taken on paratransit vehicles.
“It’s rewarding to see such positive results from improvements NCTD has implemented,” said Supervisor Bill Horn, chairman of the agency’s Board of Directors. “I’m pleased to see our transit system is becoming a convenient choice for more North County commuters.”
The agency cited the lowering of some fares, realigning and rescheduling bus and train routes, online and mobile phone ticketing, complimentary wi-fi access on trains, and a partnership with Amtrak for North Coast rail service for the record results.
— City News Service
