Despite the start of a five-cent fare increase, Blue Water Area Transit marked an all-time ridership record of 125,719 riders in October. The new milestone continues a six-year trend that started in 2008 when the agency broke its monthly record for the first time in 27 years.
“We are glad to see that our riders have stayed with us, even with our fare increase,” says Jim Wilson, general manager, BWAT. “More and more people are finding that they can rely on our service and save a lot of money.”
“When more people ride the bus, everyone benefits with cleaner air and less traffic congestion,” adds Anita R. Ashford, Blue Water Area Transportation Commission Board vice chair and Port Huron City Council member.
BWAT’s new record comes at a time when national ridership is also rising. American riders took more than 2.7 billion trips on public transportation, representing a 1.1 percent quarterly increase during the second quarter of 2014, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
BWAT increased bus fares by five cents on Oct. 1. The regular fare went up from 75 to 80 cents to ride local fixed-route and dial-a-ride buses, as well as commuter route buses to and from Macomb County.
