HOUSTON, TX – Lots of Americans are hitching a ride these days. No they’re not thumbing it; they’re bypassing the buggy for the bus or rail.
Americans took more than 10 billion trips on public transportation last year. The last time the numbers were this high was 1956 – when JFK was just a senator, everyone loved Lucy and Elvis topped the charts with Heartbreak Hotel.
These days, even Houstonians are jumping on the bus. From 2012 to 2013, ridership in H-Town increased more than 3%. The numbers for those who Park and Ride jumped nearly 7%.
Houston was one of many cities where drivers turned the wheel over and became public transportation passengers. Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Miami and New York City all had an increase in ridership. And experts say this isn’t going to change, it’s a long-term trend.
This is great news! If more of you leave the driving to METRO, the traffic will be better for the rest of us.
