Ridership
Ridership = More frequency for more people
Locally, ridership on LTD buses has declined by 22% since 2011, yet on the EmX lines ridership is up 35%. More frequent service attracts more riders, both locally and at other transit systems throughout the country. One reason is that people don’t have to pay attention to a schedule; they know a bus will arrive every 15 minutes. So, their wait is not very long, which makes taking the bus more convenient.
More people will have access to frequent service
This chart compares access to frequent service between our current system and the proposed system in the Eugene/Springfield metro area. Frequency will encourage non-riders to take the bus. Almost three times more people would have access to service every 10-15 minutes under the proposed system (53,000 have access now, 138,000 would have access under the proposed system). More access makes the bus more convenient, making it a viable option for people who previously did not take the bus.
Every 10–15 minutes
Every 30 minutes
Every 60+ minutes
No access
Jobs
Proposed
70%
12%
9%
9%
Existing
42%
42%
7%
9%
All Residents
Proposed
57%
18%
7%
18%
Existing
22%
56%
9%
13%
People Of Color
Proposed
63%
17%
6%
14%
Existing
22%
61%
6%
11%
People Experiencing Poverty
Proposed
71%
11%
7%
11%
Existing
31%
53%
7%
9%
Seniors (65+)
Proposed
49%
22%
9%
20%
Existing
13%
62%
10%
15%
Data source: GTFS March 2019, ACS 2016 (5-Year Estimates)
Today, there are 27,000 boardings daily. Of those, 500 or about 2%, would see their service diminished under the proposed system. Almost three times more people will have frequent access under the proposed system; frequent access is a proven way to increase ridership.