Ridership in transit service is very important since not only does it produce operational revenue, but it also plays a critical role in supporting federal, state, and local funds. Nationwide, transit ridership, and specifically bus ridership, has been dropping over the past decades. The most pronounced decline occurred in 2020, primarily attributed to the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ridership experienced a slight increase in both 2021 and 2022, marking a modest upward trend following the notable decline witnessed in 2020. Similar trends are noticed in New Jersey Transit (NJ TRANSIT) bus ridership. Given that the NJ TRANSIT bus network is a great asset to New Jersey’s transportation network, extending its benefits to South Jersey as well, by offering an extensive and reliable public transportation option that enhances mobility, accessibility, and connectivity throughout the region is important. Thus, there is a need to conduct research and identify best practices and lessons learned from other transit agencies to better understand the travel needs of current, former, and potential new bus riders that will result in an increase in New Jersey bus ridership in south Jersey.NJDOT Research
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