TransIT Ridership Increases By 20 Percent In One Year

Officials say the fare free policy has helped.Frederick, Md (KM) TransIT Services of Frederick County is reporting its ridership increased by 20 percent in one year. The agency says between July, 2023 and June, 2024., more than 843,000 passengers boarded TransIT buses to get to their destinations. That’s a significant increase from 700,000 passengers reported in fiscal year 2023.”It’s exciting to see more people riding our buses,” says Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, in a statement. “Access to transportation is critical to a high quality of life, making it possible for people to get to work, health care and food. I’m proud of the incredible outreach TransIT is doing to show residents how convenient it is to take the bus.”TransIT attributes this growth to its fare free policy as well as its Travel Training Program which offers personalized instruction to help passengers read schedules, locate stops and use tools like Google Transit.  Officials also say community outreach has helped bring in more riders on TransIT buses.”We believe transportation is the heart of sustainable community growth, and we’re thrilled to see our buses full of riders,” says TransIt Deputy Director Jaime  McKay, in a statement. “This milestone ridership is a vote of confidence from our riders who know and trust that we are delivering safe, accessible, reliable transit service. We encourage everyone to experience TransIT and provide feedback on how we can best service our Frederick community>”By Kevin McManus .