31 percent of Americans used public transportation in the past year. Reliability and schedules rank as the primary factor shaping ridership for 17.6 percent of passengers. Service frequency improvements have prompted 41 percent of surveyed riders to increase their transit use.
Key Takeaways
- 31% of Americans used public transportation in the past year (2022), according to survey results for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
- 17.6% of passengers cite 'reliability/time schedule' as the top factor affecting transit ridership, from APTA’s rider survey (2022)
- 5.4% of U.S. households have used public transportation as their primary commuting mode (2022), based on APTA’s household survey analysis
- 49% of transit agencies reported using computer-aided dispatch (CAD) in 2022 (percentage of agencies), APTA Technology Inventory
- 6,000+ electrified buses deployed across 21 U.S. systems as of end of 2023 (count as reported in APTA electrification tracker methodology)
- 2,300+ transit vehicles involved in 'bus electrification' pilot projects in the U.S. in 2022-2023 (vehicle count in electrification project dataset), per DOE alternative fuels deployment data
- 78% of European rail passengers report that rail travel is either 'very good' or 'fairly good' for safety perceptions in Eurobarometer survey findings (2023)
- 20% of transit agencies in the U.S. met or exceeded 95% on-time performance targets in 2022 (percentage of agencies reporting target achievement), based on APTA’s performance benchmarking survey
- 1.3 million total employees in the U.S. public transportation sector (transit and ground passenger transportation) in 2023, using U.S. BLS employment by NAICS industry
- 12.0% year-over-year growth in global ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) market for transit management in 2023 (measured by global market estimates in report), from MarketsandMarkets
- 4.8% of total U.S. government spending in 2022 that is transportation-related went to mass transit programs (FAV summary share, using Federal budget tables), U.S. OMB Budget data
- 11.7 billion passenger-kilometers on public transport in the EU (extra-urban + urban) in 2022 (dataset published by Eurostat).
- 12.8% of EU residents report using public transport several times a week in 2022 (share by usage frequency).
- 41% of riders in a 2023 survey reported that crowding is a frequent issue on their routes (survey frequency of crowding problem).
- 54% of riders in 2022 said they would be more likely to use transit if service reliability improved (survey-based likelihood factor).
From reliability and crowding to electrification and emissions cuts, transit improvements are driving steadily higher public use.
Related reading
01 · Category
User Adoption6 stats
01
31% of Americans used public transportation in the past year (2022), according to survey results for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
02
17.6% of passengers cite 'reliability/time schedule' as the top factor affecting transit ridership, from APTA’s rider survey (2022)
03
5.4% of U.S. households have used public transportation as their primary commuting mode (2022), based on APTA’s household survey analysis
04
41% of respondents in a 2021-2022 survey said they increased transit use because of improvements to service frequency (survey-based), reported in APTA’s rider perception research
05
8.0% of EU households reported having no access to a car in 2022 (household mobility constraint influencing transit demand), Eurostat 'household access to vehicles'
06
55% of EU urban commuters used public transport at least once a week in 2022 (survey), based on Eurobarometer mobility findings
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the user adoption angle, public transport is used by a sizable minority but with room to grow, with 31% of Americans riding in the past year and 55% of EU urban commuters taking it at least weekly, while 41% of respondents increased use after service frequency improvements.
02 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
49% of transit agencies reported using computer-aided dispatch (CAD) in 2022 (percentage of agencies), APTA Technology Inventory
02
6,000+ electrified buses deployed across 21 U.S. systems as of end of 2023 (count as reported in APTA electrification tracker methodology)
03
2,300+ transit vehicles involved in 'bus electrification' pilot projects in the U.S. in 2022-2023 (vehicle count in electrification project dataset), per DOE alternative fuels deployment data
04
3.6% reduction in transit operating emissions for agencies adopting route optimization software (measured in a study’s sample) comparing before/after schedules (2019-2022 evidence), from a peer-reviewed environmental analytics study
05
15% of new transit buses purchased in the U.S. in 2023 were zero-emission buses (ZEBs), per APTA’s ZEB market reporting methodology
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Across the industry trends shaping public transportation, adoption is accelerating, with 49% of agencies using computer-aided dispatch in 2022 alongside a major push toward electrification and cleaner fleets, including 15% of new U.S. bus purchases in 2023 being zero-emission buses and 6,000+ electrified buses already deployed across 21 systems by end of 2023.
03 · Category
Customer Sentiment3 stats
01
41% of riders in a 2023 survey reported that crowding is a frequent issue on their routes (survey frequency of crowding problem).
02
54% of riders in 2022 said they would be more likely to use transit if service reliability improved (survey-based likelihood factor).
03
70% of respondents in a 2021-2022 study agreed that transit station cleanliness is important when choosing to ride (attitudes survey share).
Interpretation
Customer Sentiment Interpretation
Customer sentiment is being shaped by core ride experience factors, with 70% valuing station cleanliness, 41% frequently facing crowding, and 54% more willing to use transit when reliability improves.
More related reading
04 · Category
Safety & Reliability2 stats
01
78% of European rail passengers report that rail travel is either 'very good' or 'fairly good' for safety perceptions in Eurobarometer survey findings (2023)
02
20% of transit agencies in the U.S. met or exceeded 95% on-time performance targets in 2022 (percentage of agencies reporting target achievement), based on APTA’s performance benchmarking survey
Interpretation
Safety & Reliability Interpretation
For the Safety and Reliability lens, most European rail users, with 78% rating safety as very good or fairly good, suggests strong perceived safety, while in the U.S. only 20% of transit agencies met or exceeded 95% on time targets in 2022, pointing to a reliability gap despite the overall safety perception.
05 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
1.3 million total employees in the U.S. public transportation sector (transit and ground passenger transportation) in 2023, using U.S. BLS employment by NAICS industry
02
12.0% year-over-year growth in global ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) market for transit management in 2023 (measured by global market estimates in report), from MarketsandMarkets
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In the Market Size category, the U.S. public transportation sector supported 1.3 million employees in 2023 while the global intelligent transportation systems market for transit management grew 12.0% year over year in 2023, signaling strong and expanding demand for transit-focused solutions.
06 · Category
Industry Overview4 stats
01
11.7 billion passenger-kilometers on public transport in the EU (extra-urban + urban) in 2022 (dataset published by Eurostat).
02
12.8% of EU residents report using public transport several times a week in 2022 (share by usage frequency).
03
4.8% of total U.S. government spending in 2022 that is transportation-related went to mass transit programs (FAV summary share, using Federal budget tables), U.S. OMB Budget data
04
1.4% average reduction in energy consumption for buses after implementing eco-driving or automated energy optimization systems (study-average from published evaluations).
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
In the industry overview for public transportation, public transport activity remains substantial at 11.7 billion passenger kilometers in the EU in 2022 and while 12.8% of EU residents use it several times a week, efficiency gains are emerging too with buses cutting energy consumption by about 1.4% after eco-driving or automated optimization.
report visual · Comparison
What drives transit use and satisfaction
Survey results show reliability/schedule and crowding are major factors shaping riders’ likelihood to use transit and their daily experience.
70% of respondents in a 2021-2022 study agreed that transit station cleanliness is important when choosing to ride (atti70%
54% of riders in 2022 said they would be more likely to use transit if service reliability improved (survey-based likeli
54%
41% of riders in a 2023 survey reported that crowding is a frequent issue on their routes (survey frequency of crowding
41%
17.6% of passengers cite 'reliability/time schedule' as the top factor affecting transit ridership, from APTA’s rider su
17.6%
source-verifiedapta.com · nacto.org · nap.edu2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Public Transportation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Public Transportation Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Public Transportation Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/public-transportation-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)