The city of Albuquerque announced that ABQ RIDE, the state’s largest public transportation system, is experiencing a growth in ridership despite recent challenges like staffing shortages and service reductions. These plans for reinstating services on routes come as a part of their commitment to meet the increasing demand and combat the effects of staffing shortages.
Delving into the specifics, it becomes clear just how substantial this growth has been. The city of Albuquerque revealed that in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2024, ABQ RIDE achieved an average ridership of 26.3 passengers per hour, an increase from 24.8 in the same period of fiscal year 2019. Notably, during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, ABQ RIDE served over 1.7 million riders, marking a substantial 66% increase compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. Although total ridership hasn't fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) system has consistently outperformed its last, the Rapid Ride service, since its launch in November 2019. ART system is projected to achieve its highest ridership in fiscal year 2024, according to a press release by the city of Albuquerque.
Alongside these statistics comes an affirmation from Transit Director Leslie Keener regarding their resolve and faith in their services. "While working to solve the staffing shortage, improve safety across the system, and maintain clean buses and stops, residents and visitors of Albuquerque continue to utilize and trust ABQ RIDE for their transportation needs," said Transit Director Leslie Keener. "We are confident in our ability to serve more riders once our new hires complete their training period."
However, the city's acknowledgment of existing challenges and how they are being addressed helps to paint a more complete picture of the situation. The city of Albuquerque outlines that while the overall ridership is still below pre-pandemic levels, data indicates that this decline is primarily attributed to reduced services on major routes. The hiring and training of more Motorcoach Operators are expected to contribute to the recovery and expansion of services in the near future, according to a press release by the city of Albuquerque.