Insights

Across the country, transit agencies are navigating a difficult reality: unpredictable funding streams and rising expectations to maintain service with fewer resources. In this environment, an agency’s survival depends on more than just ridership metrics.  

For decades, ridership served as the dominant measure of success, reinforcing the idea that transit value could be captured in trip counts alone. However, today’s landscape, shaped by the hybrid work model, evolving community needs and shifting travel patterns, has exposed the limitations of that framework. 

Even federal leadership is pushing to broaden the traditional measures of value in the transit industry. In June 2026, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that it is exploring measures of “Family Friendly Transit,” which includes safety and security, cleanliness, universal accessibility, real-time service information and system reliability.  

As value metrics on the federal level begin to shift, regional transit leaders can aid in this endeavor by re-measuring and reframing the narrative in their own communities.

The message is simple: Public transit has always been about more than moving people. It fuels economic activity, connects people to jobs and healthcare and stitches the fabric of communities together. 

Ridership No Longer Tells the Full Story 

From catching a San Franciscan cable car in the late 1800s to mapping out the New York subway system at the turn of the 20th century, public transit dominated how Americans moved from one place to another. These systems were designed around centralized commuting patterns and were evaluated based on how many riders they attracted. While ridership remains an important metric, it no longer reflects the full picture of public transit value. 

Over time, factors such as suburbanization, increased car ownership and demographic shifts reduced public transit usage. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this disruption, with remote and hybrid work significantly reducing commuter demand. While travel has rebounded in some areas, ridership has not fully recovered. 

At the same time, financial pressures have intensified. According to a report by the U.S. Government of Accountability Office, 15 of 22 transit systems surveyed have reported they had exhausted their COVID relief funding by February of 2025. While fare revenue in fiscal year 2023 remained 31% below 2019 levels, operating costs rose by 28%.  

However, even during the steepest ridership declines of COVID-19’s peak, public transit proved indispensable for keeping communities up and running. Systems continued operating as essential services, ensuring access for healthcare workers, service employees and transit-dependent populations. This moment highlighted a critical disconnect: what agencies measure does not always reflect what communities value.  

Recognizing Transit’s True Impact 

Focusing solely on ridership overlooks the deeper role public transit plays in everyday life. It enables economic participation and access to opportunity.  

According to the FTA, 87% of transit trips directly support economic activity by connecting people to work, healthcare, education, retail and other essential services. In this sense, transit functions as a critical economic engine, sustaining both individuals and regional economies. These benefits extend beyond the riders themselves. Public transit reduces traffic congestion, improves regional connectivity and contributes to a more efficient transportation network.

Equity is another defining dimension of public transportation that should be highlighted. Not all residents have equal access to personal vehicles, and for many, public transit is essential. People with disabilities, for example, rely on transit at significantly higher rates, with rural residents with disabilities taking approximately 50% more transit trips than those without disabilities, according to the American Public Transportation Association. 

Seen through this broader lens, transit is not simply a service option for people to move across their community. It is a critical piece of infrastructure that supports inclusion, mobility and opportunity across entire regions. 

Communicating Value

As transit agency leaders rethink their approach, here are some ways to help communicate transit’s value to stakeholders and the public. 

Reframe the Question 

Traditional surveys often focus narrowly on usage: “How often do you ride?” Through their Family Friendly Transit initiative, FTA is asking for public feedback on other indicators, such as safety, cleanliness, accessibility and reliability.  

On a local level, agencies can ask questions that capture broader community impact, such as whether their system helps people access healthcare, employment or education as well as how it contributes to equity for all users. 

By soliciting open-ended responses, with prompts such as “What benefits do you believe public transit provides, even if you do not personally ride it?” or “Can you share an example of how public transit has helped you or someone in your community?” residents can articulate how they perceive their local public transit system. 

Start with Storytelling 

Data is important, but it should support, rather than define, the narrative. Real-world stories can illustrate transit’s impact more effectively than statistics alone.  

For example, research by the American Public Transportation Association shows that individuals can save more than $13,200 annually by using public transit instead of driving. In a time of rising gas prices, these savings provide a powerful, relatable illustration of transit’s value in everyday life.  

Customer experience metrics like safety, reliability and overall satisfaction, can further reinforce this story, aligning performance measures with what communities prioritize.  

Highlight the People 

Public support for transit is closely tied to its perceived impact on those who depend on it most. By highlighting real riders and their experiences, agencies can humanize transit and build stronger emotional connections with the public. 

Looking Ahead

Transit agencies currently face a critical moment in the industry. Maintaining and expanding service in a constrained funding environment will require both operational efficiency and strengthened public support. As the FTA explores new qualitative indicators like safety, accessibility and reliability, agencies have a chance to align local performance measures with a broader, more meaningful definition of success. 

Here are some strategies that transit leaders can deploy right now.

• Expand Partnerships: Collaboration with healthcare providers, employers and community organizations can strengthen transit’s role in regional systems and diversify funding opportunities. 
• Reframe the Metrics: Ridership should remain part of the equation, but it must be contextualized within a broader narrative that emphasizes public access, equity and economic impact.  
• Invest in Visibility and Outreach: Strategic marketing and outreach can help reshape public perception, ensuring messaging reaches both riders and non-riders. Highlighting trends, such as rising transportation costs, can further reinforce public transit’s relevance. 

As the industry adapts to changing travel patterns and fiscal realities, agencies must also evolve how they define and communicate success. By moving beyond ridership as the sole benchmark and embracing a more comprehensive view of value, transit leaders can build stronger support, secure future investment and ensure public transit remains a vital part of the communities it serves.

To learn more about how to build and maintain public transit systems as critical infrastructure in your community, please contact B&N’s National Transit Practice Leader Ehren Bingaman.