WRTA Gas prices haven't affected bus ridership

Transit-dependent work commuters make up about 42 percent of bus patrons.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Higher prices at the pumps have not resulted in an increase in WRTA ridership because most of WRTA's regular riders are people who don't drive or don't own a vehicle, said Jim Ferraro, WRTA executive director.
Gas prices topped $3 last month for regular unleaded and were $2.49 Thursday, according to AAA, but fell as low as $2.29 at some area stations Friday. That compares to $1.94 tracked by AAA a year ago.
But Ferraro said most of WRTA's regular riders are people who use the bus for daily commutes to work or school because they don't own a vehicle or don't drive. They are transit-dependent, he said.
WRTA officials track ridership with onboard computers that collect ridership demographics. Transit-dependent work commuters account for about 42 percent of WRTA ridership, he said.
Ferraro said WRTA has experienced steady and significant increases in ridership for several years. In 2004, WRTA transported over 1.5 million of Youngstown's transit-dependent citizens, which represents a 9-percent increase from 2003.
He said WRTA plays a significant role in the economic well-being of transit-dependent riders and the regional economy. Employers need the workers, and the workers need transportation, he said.
Considering downtown
Meanwhile, vehicle owners who work in downtown Youngstown aren't riding the bus as a way to save gas, he said. Most vehicle owners who could ride a WRTA bus to and from work probably don't have a commute long enough for a park-and-ride commute to save them much money, he said.
Still, WRTA's growth emphasis is on downtown routes, Ferraro said. WRTA officials believe they can increase ridership by persuading people to ride the bus downtown on weekends and on weeknights.
"There's a lot at stake downtown," he said. "We want to let people see how we operate."
Ferraro also attributed ridership increases to WRTA's expanded night service routes. People can catch a bus out of Youngstown as late as 11 p.m. he said.
Ferraro emphasized that WRTA riders have the power to dictate where buses go. Bus routes are based on rider demand, and WRTA officials will consider requests within reason, he said.
WRTA buses go to Austintown and the Kent State University Trumbull Campus, for example, because of rider demand for those services, he said.
tullis@vindy.com