By Julie Sneider, Senior Associate Editor, Progressive Railroading Magazine; October 2019
Americans took more commuter-rail trips last year than they did in the previous year, but overall ridership on commuter-, heavy- and light-rail systems was down slightly by 0.41 percent (based on passenger trips) in 2018, according to the American Public Transportation Association’s latest annual ridership report, which was issued in April.
Commuter-rail ridership was on the upswing in 18 out of 31 transit systems. Light-rail ridership declined 3 percent, or 16,165 passenger trips, with just nine out of 28 transit systems logging ridership growth. Heavy-rail ridership decreased by 2.6 percent, or 99,189 passenger trips.