Mass transit growth slows in 4th quarter

WASHINGTON, March 9 (UPI) -- U.S. mass transit ridership growth, which was soaring last year, slowed in the fourth quarter as more commuters lost their jobs, statistics indicate.

Budget shortfalls also pushed transit systems to reduce service or raise fares, USA Today reported Monday.

While public transit ridership increased 4 percent to 10.7 billion rides overall last year, the American Public Transportation Association noted the number of rides from October through December increased only 2 percent to 2.7 billion compared with the year-earlier period.

Government economists set unemployment at a 25-year high of 8 percent in February, and the more the jobless rate rises, the more mass transit ridership will shrink, association President William Millar told the newspaper.

"If people don't have the jobs, they are not taking those trips," he said, adding that 58 percent of public transit riders are people going to and from work.

Cuts in state and local funding are prompting transit agencies to raise fares and reduce service, he said.