News & Events: Press Releases
May 14, 2009
Bay Town Trolley Leads Peers In Annual Passenger Trips
Media Contact: Allison Fogt
850-878-5531 x223
afogt@kidd.com
Trolley officials announce all-time ridership high and celebrate peer trend results
(Panama City, Fla.) - A recent Peer and Trend report released by The Center for Urban Transportation Research, shows Bay Town Trolley’s annual passenger trips surpassing 11 other peer systems in the nation. As defined by the Federal Transit Administration, these urban peer systems have similar population, density, median age, per capita income and total operating expenses as the trolley. As seen below, Bay Town Trolley’s ridership is nearly twice that of its closest peer.
This report is released at a time when trolley officials are announcing a 73 percent increase in ridership above 2008 year-to-date totals. With 216,635 rides thus far in 2009, this percentage reflects ridership increases on all of the trolley’s routes and is attributed to longer operating hours, enhanced services and new routes like the Career Connector.
"I am so thrilled with the success and the growth of Bay Town Trolley as exemplified in this chart and in the trolley’s ridership,” said Beth Coulliette, Bay Town Trolley’s Executive Director. “The trolley continues to meet the needs of many riders who choose to 'Get Up and Go' with our transit system."
With summer on the horizon, trolley officials have already begun to enhance their services and routes to compensate for more riders during the peak season. Increased frequencies on the beach and downtown routes have already begun and Saturday Service on all routes will start June 6, 2009. In addition to these route enhancements, students can also benefit by receiving unlimited rides on the trolley this summer between June 1 and Sept. 1, 2009 through purchase of a Student Summer Pass for just $30.
For more information about Bay Town Trolley’s routes and services visit BayTownTrolley.org, Twitter.com/BayTownTrolley or BayTownTrolley.org/Facebook.
For the past 13 years Bay Town Trolley has provided public transportation services to Bay County with the mission of moving riders of Bay County with clean, safe, efficient and dependable transportation while enhancing the quality of life and meeting the growing needs of the community. The system operates Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. For information on all routes, fares, Ride On Commuter Services and other news and updates log on to www.BayTownTrolley.org.
More releases