Source: Federal Highway Administration; California Department of Transportation
Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlights
- Across Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in California, public transit ridership based on unlinked passenger trips (UPTs) as the proxy remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels, even as ridership continues to improve. Statewide, UPT rose 15.0% from 2022 to 2023, slightly slower than the national average growth of 15.3% during the same period. Compared to 2019, UPTs in California are still 27.9% lower in 2023.
- The rebound in UPTs slowed from 2022 to 2023 compared to the rate from 2021 to 2022. However, several urbanized areas (UZAs) experienced significant jumps in UPTs from 2022 to 2023. UPTs in Davis, CA jumped 46.8% from 2022 to 2023, which follows an impressive 109.8% increase from 2021 to 2022. UPTs in Turlock, CA grew 46.6% from 2022 to 2023, followed by Modesto, CA by 35.5%, Victorville--Hesperia--Apple Valley, CA by 33.5%, and Tulare, CA by 33.1%.
- Several urbanized areas (UZAs) in California experienced a decline in their UPT from 2022 to 2023, including Fairfield, CA (-27.5%), Lake Tahoe, CA-NV (-27.3%), Santa Clarita, CA (-12.3%), Visalia, CA (-9.9%), and Hanford, CA (-3.8%).46 Among them, Redding, CA stood out since it has experienced a consistent decline in ridership since 2016. Lake Tahoe, CA-NV is another UZA that stands out since the decline from 2022 to 2023 represents a major setback compared to its previous gains in ridership. Previously, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved significant funding for alternative transportation in North Lake Tahoe. The approval included a contract with Tahoe Downtowner LLC for TART Connect service.47
- UPTs in three UZAs, all in rural counties, have surpassed pre-pandemic levels: Turlock, CA (+43.7%), Modesto, CA (+23.0%), and El Centro, CA (+0.3%).
46 An urbanized area (UZA) has a population of 50,000 or more designated by the Census Bureau, within boundaries to be fixed by responsible State and local officials in cooperation with each other, subject to approval by the Secretary, as defined in 23 U.S.C. 101(a)(36). Such boundaries shall encompass, at a minimum, the entire urbanized area within a State as designated by the Census Bureau.
47 County of Placer. Board approves funding for alternative transportation sources in North Lake Tahoe. June 15, 2023. Assessed Jan 18, 2024. Available at: https://www.placer.ca.gov/9059/Tahoe-microtransit-funding-approved
More About
Transportation
Related Content