North Carolina is growing.
New residents are coming, and companies are seeing the many benefits of locating
in our state. These factors, combined with others such as an aging population,
are just some of many reasons why motorists are looking for other ways to get
around besides driving their personal cars. One option more and more drivers
are turning to is public transportation.
North Carolina’s 99 public
transportation systems serving all 100 counties of the state have seen a steady
increase in ridership during the last 10 years. During Fiscal Year 2013, (June 30, 2012
– July 1, 2013) more than 77 million trips were made on North Carolina public
transportation systems, compared to more than 73 million in FY 2011. Ridership has increased steadily on
urban-area transit systems in recent years. These fixed-route systems carried
almost one million more passengers in FY 2013 than in FY 2009, an increase of
15 percent. Passengers per-hour and passengers per-mile also increased by 15
and 16 percent, respectively, while administrative and operating expenses
increased by a modest two percent during this time period.
Although ridership
has been increasing on urban systems, rural systems have seen a slight decrease
in ridership – two percent since FY 2012. Despite this decrease, the increase
in ridership on urban systems has been large enough to bring overall ridership
statewide up. While there is no specific reason for the decrease in rural ridership,
research from the N.C. State University Institute for Transportation Research
and Education shows that it could potentially be due to reductions in funding, resulting
in the elimination of some services among systems. Also, increases in
Medicaid-funded trips on 34 percent of rural systems have made up for losses on
the remaining majority of rural systems.
With most rural
transit riders being dependent on public transportation, systems are looking at
ways to maintain service despite reductions in funding. Several rural transit
systems are shifting away from demand-response service, and are beginning to
offer structured services, such as fixed routes, which are more cost effective
and more efficient to operate than demand-response.
“On our deviated
fixed routes we are able to more efficiently service a higher number of riders
than on our more costly door-to-door routes,” said Kerr Area TransportationAuthority Executive Director Rob Brink.
In another effort to
maintain services, rural systems are also beginning to utilize more federal
funding sources in addition to traditional state funding. Total federal funds have increased 67 percent
since FY 2009, while state-funded section 5311 funds have increased 15 percent
during the same time period.
“Our transit systems
in North Carolina are continuing to grow their business by being creative in
how they look for new resources and partners to fund new services,” said NCDOT Public
Transportation Division Director Debbie Collins “This is vital to their ability
to sustain existing service levels and continue to grow.”
Initiatives like
these, along with others such as regionalization of rural transit systems, and continued
planning work with local metropolitan planning organizations and rural planning
organizations, will enable transit systems to continue to serve the needs of
their riders and communities.
About N.C. Public Transportation
Public transportation systems provide a safe, cost-effective and
environmentally friendly option for residents who cannot or choose not to
drive. Systems range from small rural systems to large urban systems, as well
as the LYNX light rail in Charlotte and intercity bus routes. NCDOT’s Public Transportation Division also coordinates
intercity bus transportation with Greyhound and Horizon Coach Lines, as well as
vanpool service with systems in the urban areas of the state.
NCDOT’s Public Transportation
Division works directly with these systems to foster the development of
intercity, urban and rural public transportation in North Carolina. The division
awards grant funds to local public transportation systems, enabling them to
provide people in all 100 counties access to education, job opportunities and
health care.
