While still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels, Arlington Transit (ART) ridership levels continue to rebound.
Slightly more than 2.4 million trips on the local transit system were taken in the fiscal year ending June 30, up from 1.92 million the preceding year, according to figures from the county government presented at the Sept. 10 meeting of a government body.
Higher ridership, however, was accompanied by a decline in on-time performance. The system’s on-time rate of 74 percent during fiscal 2024 was down from 82 percent in fiscal 2023, county officials said.
The number of complaints filed about ART service or related matters grew from 224 to 281, but given the higher ridership, the rate essentially was flat at six complaints per 50,000 trips.
With 222,887 passengers in May 2024, the system reached its highest single-month total since before the pandemic. The all-time high for any month was recorded in October 2019 at 277,203.
(Comparing service now to pre-pandemic times is not entirely apples to apples, as some routes have been added, others eliminated during the interim.)
At the Sept. 10 meeting, RoseAnn Ashby, who chairs the accessibility subcommittee of the county government’s Transit Advisory Committee, asked whether there were any data yet on how a fare increase implemented July 1 is changing passenger dynamics.
“That is probably going to impact” ridership, she said.
County staff replied that, by the end of September, they will parse figures from the first quarter of the fiscal year and will have “a good picture” of where things stand.
On July 1, basic ART fares went to $2.25 for adults, $1.10 for seniors and those with disabilities. Most students can ride for free.
