December 30, 2002
Contact: Pat Gilbert 517 394-1100

2002 Ridership

Lansing, MI—People took more rides on CATA buses in October of 2002 than at any other time in CATA’s 30 years of service. CATA gave 1,003,400 rides to community residents during that month, compared to the average monthly ridership for the year of 725,437. Strong ridership on routes serving the MSU campus and increases in demand-response service to rural areas contributed to this record-breaking level.

Never before has CATA seen such a demand for public transportation. For the last seven years, CATA’s ridership (the number of rides CATA provides) has steadily climbed. More impressive is that the last four years have been record-breaking years for the Authority. Most recently, in 2002, residents took over 8 million rides – 8,705,239 to be exact – an increase of 10% from the previous record-breaking year.

Since 1972 when CATA first took to the streets of Lansing, Ingham County’s population has grown by 9%, while CATA ridership has increased by an amazing 1,088%. Compare 30 years ago when CATA provided 732,600 rides during its first year of operation, to the 8.7 million in 2002 and you can see how the growth in local public transportation has exploded. Just five years ago, CATA gave 4.2 million rides—less than half the new 2002 record. "CATA’s growth is really a growth in opportunity for thousands of area residents, "explains Sandy Draggoo, CATA’s Executive Director. "All over Lansing and East Lansing, as well as Delhi, Meridian and Lansing Townships, people from all walks of life step onto a CATA bus and step off into a wider world."

The growth in ridership is in direct correlation to the increase in demand for more public transportation service in the region. Over the last five years, CATA expanded its services to include more demand-response transportation (advance-reservation, curb-to-curb service), service to MSU, more trips for Spec-Tran customers with disabilities and more efficient service on fixed-routes. CATA’s service area extends 500-square miles.

For information on CATA services, trip planning, fares or passes, please contact CATA’s Customer Service at 394-1000.