Rapid Transit System Reports 6,000 Additional Rider Trips Since October 2020

RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM REPORTS

CONTINUED INCREASES IN RIDERSHIP

More than 6,000 additional rider trips recorded

compared to October 2020

RAPID CITY, SD—Rapid Transit System (RTS) officials recorded 21,329 total passenger trips in October, an increase of more than 1,700 rider trips from the same month in 2022.

            The overall ridership was eight percent higher than the 19,623 passenger trips recorded in October 2022.  Last month’s ridership number also represents an 18 percent increase over October 2021 (17,432 trips) and a 29 percent increase over the October 2020 numbers (15,075).

            A major factor in the October increase was a boost in youth ridership numbers.  Last month, a total of 5,254 youth passenger trips were recorded as part of the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program.  The October youth ridership numbers represent an 11 percent increase over October 2022 when 4,657 youth trips were recorded and a 20 percent jump over the youth numbers recorded in October 2021 (4,177 youth trips).

            “It was another solid month for ridership on our RTS routes,” said RTS Manager Megan Gould-Stabile. “With a nearly 30 percent jump over our numbers from just three years ago -- with more than 6,000 additional trips recorded in that short period of time -- that’s an impressive increase.”

            Registration is recommended for the ‘Youth Ride Free’ transportation program, which was initiated in the summer of 2016 to provide youth with better access to schools, libraries, recreation and social events and to save money for families and foster appreciation for public transportation among the City’s youth.

             For more information about the RTS program, visit www.rapidride.org or call 605-394-6631.  In addition, parents and guardians can contact Rapid Transit Service to register for the youth ridership program or go online to rapidride.org and click on the ‘Youth Ride Free’ button.