APTA’s 2025 fact book highlights five consecutive years of ridership growth

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released new data highlighting the economic impact and growth the public transportation sector has experienced in the U.S., data the association says reinforces the need for investment in public transit systems in the country.

The association’s new 2025 public transportation fact book pegged 2024 ridership at 7.66 billion trips, making it the fifth consecutive year of ridership growth. APTA also notes that public transit is a $93.4 billion industry, employing more than 430,000 people directly while also supporting millions of private sector jobs as well.

“These numbers tell a story of resilience and growth, and why investment in public transit and passenger rail is essential,” said APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas. “Public transportation remains the backbone of economic mobility in communities across America, with 87 percent of trips directly impacting the economy by connecting people to work, retail, healthcare and entertainment opportunities.”

Significant finding from the 2025 public transportation fact book include:

• 77% of federal transit funds support private businesses through contracts, services and supply chains.
• Ridership is growing consistently with trips up from 4.81 billion in 2021, increasing 59% to reach the 2024 figure.
• Transit systems throughout the U.S. continue to grow, reaching 26 bus rapid transit systems, 48 surface rail systems, 37 regional railroad systems and 16 heavy rail systems.

“What these statistics really show is that public transportation is more than just moving people from point A to point B,” Skoutelas said. “We’re talking about connecting working Americans to economic opportunities, supporting students in their educational pursuits and ensuring that communities remain accessible and vibrant.”

The data also highlighted large strides in connecting passengers to air travel, with 31 airports in 22 urbanized areas hosting connections with rail or bus systems.

Alongside its 2025 fact book, APTA released its ridership report for the second quarter of 2025, noting that ridership was up 7.3% from the same quarter last year. Trips exceeded more than two billion in the quarter, the first time the milestone has been surpassed since 2020. Passengers took 140 million more trips in Q2 2025 than in Q2 of 2024, contributing to the five consecutive years of ridership increases.