Public transit in the United States - Statistics & Facts

2023 saw the demise of Hyperloop One, which had promised to revolutionize mass transport by whisking passengers between cities in sealed tubes at 700 miles per hour. Yet, while the hype around hyperloop technology is dying down in the United States, federal support for old-fashioned public transport has seen a resurgence. The U.S. government announced funds for new long-distance and high-speed rail in 2023 and annual funding for public transit for the next three years is between 55 and 65 percent higher than it was in 2019, before the spike in funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While much of the public focus has been on rail, the workhorse of public transport in the United States remains the bus, which accounts for nearly half of all public transit trips. The number of U.S. bus passenger trips reached almost 3.5 billion in 2023. Despite the upward trend in passenger numbers since the collapse of public transport use during the COVID-19 pandemic, bus services have experienced a longer-term decline. Passenger numbers had already been falling before the pandemic and, as of 2023, remained around a quarter below 2019 figures, bringing with it declining passenger revenue and a funding crisis for bus services.

Electrification of the bus fleet

Despite the difficult operating environment for bus services, the sector is also looking forward. The adoption of electric buses has experienced rapid growth, albeit from a low level. Between 2021 and 2022, the number of zero-emission buses (ZEBs) in operation in the U.S. increased by more than 55 percent, growing by another 11 percent the following year. In 2023, their total figure stood at 6,102 vehicles, most of which were battery-electric buses. A third of these buses could be found in California, which operates the largest ZEB fleet.

The transit giants

The first public transit system in the U.S. was set up in Boston, Massachusetts, initially as a ferry service in 1630, followed by stagecoaches in the late 1700s. Today, Boston’s transit authority (MBTA) is one of the largest transit authorities in the country. The leader among public transportation authorities in the U.S. is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), responsible for mass transit in the New York metropolitan area. In 2019, ridership of the MTA network reached almost 2.6 billion trips, of which around 62 percent were made by subway. The MTA’s ridership suffered a considerable decrease in passengers amid the COVID-19 pandemic and recorded only 1.5 billion passengers in 2022.

Public transit networks across the U.S. have experienced many changes throughout their nearly 400-year history. Operators are now facing new challenges that will need to be addressed: rebuilding patronage, changing commuter patterns, and increasing demands to make their services climate friendly and resilient.
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Public transit passengers transported in the U.S.: 7.11bn

Most used transit mode in the U.S.: Bus

Largest U.S. transit authority: MTA

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Annual number of passenger boarding of Los Angeles County's transit authority (LACMTA) from FY 2015 to FY 2023, by mode (in millions)

Public Transportation & Mobility Services

Annual ridership of Los Angeles' transit authority, by mode 2015-2023

Annual number of paid passengers transported by the Philadelphia transit authority (SEPTA) from 2012 to 2023 (in millions)

Public Transportation & Mobility Services

Annual ridership of the Philadelphia transit authority 2012-2023

U.S. cities with the busiest heavy rail systems in 2023, by ridership (in million unlinked transit passenger trips)*

Passenger Rail Transport

U.S. heavy rail network - leading cities by ridership 2023

Recommended statistics

Overview

Premium Statistic U.S.: Mode of transport commonly used to commute to work 2022
U.S.: Mode of transport commonly used to commute to work 2022
Distribution of transportation modes of U.S. workers commuting to work in 2022
Premium Statistic U.S. public transit: Operating revenue 2010-2021
U.S. public transit: Operating revenue 2010-2021
Total operating revenue of public transportation in the United States, 2010 to 2021 (in current million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic U.S. workers using public transportation to commute to work 2000-2022
U.S. workers using public transportation to commute to work 2000-2022
Share of workers in the U.S. using public transportation to commute to work from 2000 to 2022
Premium Statistic U.S. public transit: Number of unlinked passenger trips 1995-2023
U.S. public transit: Number of unlinked passenger trips 1995-2023
Number of unlinked passenger trips in U.S. public transit from 1995 to 2023 (in billions)
Premium Statistic U.S. public transportation - Modal share of unlinked passenger trips in 2023
U.S. public transportation - Modal share of unlinked passenger trips in 2023
Modal share of unlinked passenger trips with U.S. public transportation in 2023
Premium Statistic Average passenger fare on public transit in the U.S. 2021
Average passenger fare on public transit in the U.S. 2021
Average passenger fare per unlinked trip on public transport in the United States in 2021 (in U.S. dollars), by mode
Premium Statistic U.S. transit agencies - 10 largest based on unlinked passenger trips 2021
U.S. transit agencies - 10 largest based on unlinked passenger trips 2021
10 largest U.S. transit agencies based on unlinked passenger trips in 2021 (in millions)
Premium Statistic United States: monthly heavy-rail ridership 2020–2023
United States: monthly heavy-rail ridership 2020–2023
Estimated unlinked passenger trips on heavy-rail systems in the U.S. in 2020 and 2023 (in millions)
Premium Statistic U.S. heavy rail network - leading cities by ridership 2023
U.S. heavy rail network - leading cities by ridership 2023
U.S. cities with the busiest heavy rail systems in 2023, by ridership (in million unlinked transit passenger trips)*

Ridership of main transit networks

Premium Statistic MTA: Annual ridership of the New York City transit authority 2012-2022
MTA: Annual ridership of the New York City transit authority 2012-2022
Annual number of paid passengers transported by the New York City transit authority (MTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Annual ridership of the Washington, D.C. transit authority 2012-2023
Annual ridership of the Washington, D.C. transit authority 2012-2023
Annual number of unlinked passenger trips of the Washington, D.C. transit authority (WMATA) from FY 2012 to FY 2023 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Annual ridership of the Chicago transit authority 2012-2022
Annual ridership of the Chicago transit authority 2012-2022
Annual number of paid passengers transported by the Chicago transit authority (CTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in millions)
Premium Statistic Annual ridership of the Boston transit authority, by mode 2015-2023
Annual ridership of the Boston transit authority, by mode 2015-2023
Annual number of unlinked passenger trips of the Boston transit authority (MBTA) from 2015 to 2023, by mode (in millions)
Premium Statistic Annual ridership of Los Angeles' transit authority, by mode 2015-2023
Annual ridership of Los Angeles' transit authority, by mode 2015-2023
Annual number of passenger boarding of Los Angeles County's transit authority (LACMTA) from FY 2015 to FY 2023, by mode (in millions)
Premium Statistic Annual ridership of the Philadelphia transit authority 2012-2023
Annual ridership of the Philadelphia transit authority 2012-2023
Annual number of paid passengers transported by the Philadelphia transit authority (SEPTA) from 2012 to 2023 (in millions)

Funding and revenues

Premium Statistic Total funding spent for public transportation in the U.S. 2010-2022
Total funding spent for public transportation in the U.S. 2010-2022
Total funding spent for public transit in the United States from 2010 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Capital funding sources for public transit in the U.S. 2021
Capital funding sources for public transit in the U.S. 2021
Share of capital funding sources for public transit in the United States in 2021, by source
Premium Statistic Passenger fares as share of total transit operating funds in the U.S. 2010-2021
Passenger fares as share of total transit operating funds in the U.S. 2010-2021
Share of public transportation operating funds generated from passenger fares in the United States from 2010 to 2021
Premium Statistic Total federal funding authorized for public transportation in the U.S. 2016-2026
Total federal funding authorized for public transportation in the U.S. 2016-2026
Total federal funding authorized for public transit in the United States from 2016 to 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Total federal funding for public transportation in the U.S., by state 2022-2026
Total federal funding for public transportation in the U.S., by state 2022-2026
Total federal funding for public transit in the United States from 2022 to 2026, by state and other jurisdictions (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic U.S.: Annual revenue of the New York urban transport authority 2016-2022
U.S.: Annual revenue of the New York urban transport authority 2016-2022
Annual operating revenue of the public transportation authority of New York, U.S. (MTA) from 2016 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Annual operating revenue of the Washington, D.C. transit authority 2012-2023
Annual operating revenue of the Washington, D.C. transit authority 2012-2023
Annual operating revenue of the Washington, D.C. transit authority (WMATA) from FY 2012 to FY 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic U.S.: Annual operating revenue of Chicago's urban transit authority 2014-2022
U.S.: Annual operating revenue of Chicago's urban transit authority 2014-2022
Annual operating revenue of the public transportation authority of Chicago, U.S. (CTA) from 2014 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic U.S.: Operating revenues of the public transportation authority of Boston 2016-2023
U.S.: Operating revenues of the public transportation authority of Boston 2016-2023
Annual operating revenue of the public transportation authority of Boston, U.S. (MBTA) from FY 2016 to FY 2023 (in 1,000 U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Annual revenue of Los Angeles' transit authority, by type 2018-2023
Annual revenue of Los Angeles' transit authority, by type 2018-2023
Annual operating revenue of Los Angeles County's transit authority (LACMTA) from FY 2018 to FY 2023, by type (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic Annual operating revenue of the Philadelphia transit authority 2012-2022
Annual operating revenue of the Philadelphia transit authority 2012-2022
Annual operating revenue of the Philadelphia transit authority (SEPTA) from 2012 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Sustainability

Premium Statistic U.S. transit traffic: Electricity consumption 2010-2022
U.S. transit traffic: Electricity consumption 2010-2022
Electricity consumption of the transit traffic in the United States from 2010 to 2022 (in gigawatt-hour)
Premium Statistic Fuel consumption of the U.S. transit, by type 2010-2022
Fuel consumption of the U.S. transit, by type 2010-2022
Motor fuel consumption of transit in the United States from 2010 to 2022, by type (in million gallons)
Premium Statistic U.S. commuter bus fleet fuel types 2014-2023
U.S. commuter bus fleet fuel types 2014-2023
Commuter bus fleet in the United States between 2014 and 2023, by fuel type
Premium Statistic Full-size transit ZEBs count in the U.S., by type 2020-2023
Full-size transit ZEBs count in the U.S., by type 2020-2023
Number of full-size transit zero-emission buses (ZEB) in the United States from 2020 to 2023
Premium Statistic Full-size transit ZEBs deployed in the U.S., by state 2023
Full-size transit ZEBs deployed in the U.S., by state 2023
Number of full-size zero-emission transit buses (ZEB) deployed and in operation in the United States as of September 2023, by state

Safety

Premium Statistic Transportation fatalities by mode in the United States 2021
Transportation fatalities by mode in the United States 2021
Number of transportation fatalities in the United States in 2021, by mode
Premium Statistic Number of public transit incidents in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of public transit incidents in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of incidents on the public transportation systems in the United States from 2010 to 2022
Premium Statistic Number of public transit incidents in the U.S., by mode 2019-2022
Number of public transit incidents in the U.S., by mode 2019-2022
Number of incidents on the public transportation systems in the United States in 2019 and 2022, by mode
Premium Statistic Number of public transit accidents in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of public transit accidents in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of accidents on the public transportation systems in the United States from 2010 to 2022
Premium Statistic Number of public transit fatalities in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of public transit fatalities in the U.S. 2010-2022
Number of fatalities on public transportation systems in the United States from 2010 to 2022
Premium Statistic Number of public transit crime events in the U.S., by type 2022
Number of public transit crime events in the U.S., by type 2022
Number of crime events in the public transportation systems in the United States in 2022, by type

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Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Public transit in the United States" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.

Funding spent on public transit in the U.S.
84.2bn USD
Detailed statistics
Total funding spent for public transportation in the U.S. 2010-2022
Operating revenue of the U.S. transit sector
53.1bn USD
Detailed statistics
U.S. public transit: Operating revenue 2010-2021
Operating revenue of the MTA
7bn USD
Detailed statistics
U.S.: Annual revenue of the New York urban transport authority 2016-2022

Passengers transported by the MTA
1.5bn
Detailed statistics
MTA: Annual ridership of the New York City Transit Authority, by division 2019-2022
Passengers transported by the CTA
244m
Detailed statistics
Annual ridership of the Chicago transit authority 2012-2022
Passenger boardings of the LACMTA
270m
Detailed statistics
Annual ridership of Los Angeles' transit authority, by mode 2015-2023