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CATA Ridership Sets New Records

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Categories: General

Contact: Pat Gilbert 517.394.1100

Lansing, MI—The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) set a new annual ridership record in fiscal year 2008. CATA gave 11,306,339 rides between Oct. 1, 2007 and Sept. 30, 2008—the Authority's strongest year in its 37-year history. The 5.8% increase (FY07 to FY08) represents over 623,000 more passenger trips taken in FY08. The most significant growth this past year occurred in urban routes throughout Greater Lansing. September 2008 ridership of 1,250,878* broke all of CATA's monthly ridership records. In that month alone, customers took over 156,783 more rides compared to the same month in 2007. Average CATA weekday ridership in September 2008 was 53,000 system-wide.

Here are some examples of ridership growth over the past year:
"We are doing all we can to meet the growing demand for public transportation," stated Sandy Draggoo, CATA CEO/Executive Director. "Regular customers are using CATA for more trips then in the past. Many work commuters started using CATA services to save money when gas prices rose. We are working hard to stretch our resources to meet this growing demand."  

Maintaining responsive public transportation service is especially important in hard economic times, but CATA is facing a significant funding shortfall; primarily due to stagnant State funding and the rise in costs for fuel and other operating expenses. This funding shortfall prompted the Authority to ask for a 0.787 mill increase in the cities of Lansing and East Lansing and in Delhi, Lansing and Meridian townships. For a home valued at $100,000 this equals $39.35 per year.  That request will be on the November 4th ballot.
 
For more information on CATA services, please contact CATA's Customer Information Representatives at 517.394.1000.

*Note- September FY08 contained two additional weekdays compared to FY07.

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