Big Take Your Morning Commute Could Get Way Worse
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May 2, 2025 Aaron Gordon, a Bloomberg data reporter focused on transit, shares eye-opening insights about the state of U.S. mass transit post-COVID. He discusses the alarming decline in ridership and financial aid running out, raising fears of a 'death spiral' for many agencies. Gordon highlights the long-term implications of potential fare hikes and service cuts, which could exacerbate congestion as riders revert to personal cars. The conversation reveals how these challenges deeply affect communities relying on public transportation.
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Understanding Transit Death Spiral
- A death spiral happens when transit agencies cut services due to budget cuts, causing ridership and fare revenue to drop further.
- This cycle makes it harder to maintain services and can spiral transit into severe decline.
Ridership Lagging Pre-COVID Levels
- US transit ridership has rebounded to about 75% of pre-COVID levels but is still significantly down.
- Lower ridership means critical farebox revenue losses for transit agencies, stressing their finances.
Fare Revenue Dependency Varies
- Transit agencies vary in how much they rely on fare revenue, with some midsize cities highly dependent on fares.
- Even a 25% drop in fare revenue significantly impacts most transit agencies' budgets.