PART ridership increased in 2011 : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

PART Express bus service chalked up a 12.4 percent increase in ridership last year, a jump of more than 59,000 passenger trips despite tough financial conditions that dogged the commuter service.

The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation reported today that its PART Express buses carried a total of 537,141 passengers in 2011, up from roughly 477,900 riders the previous year.

Executive director Brent McKinney said the increase was remarkable in light of a difficult economy that forced PART to trim routes and increase fares.

PART's bus service saved its passengers money and helped the region battle both pollution and traffic congestion, McKinney said.

"PART Express riders reduced the vehicle miles they would have traveled by over 12 million miles," he said. "Our riders saved more than $1.9 million in fuel costs and more than $7.5 million in total vehicle operating costs."

The transportation authority offers regional bus and other commuter services across Guilford, Forsyth and eight other Triad counties.

rooster8786

January 24, 2012 - 12:40 pm EST

So the need for a $3 tax on private vehicle, just to survive, was all a hoax or another money grab attempt?

Bosco

January 24, 2012 - 1:29 pm EST

More voodoo numbers Brent. How much gas and how much polution did your buses use? How many riders took your bus to Asheboro and Boone and what was the cost per rider per trip?

jeaniegnc

January 24, 2012 - 2:23 pm EST

I continue to see empty buses or buses with one rider several times a week. Until I actually see riders (I don't mean one) on the buses, I cannot buy into your explanations. Your buses are entirely too large to be running all over almost empty and empty.

ReadMuch

January 24, 2012 - 5:04 pm EST

Can you understand the concept of a bus having to go back empty to get another group of people? It is like school bus. Your observation is possibly flawed.

My husband uses the PART bus to go from GSO to WS 5 days a week. I should figure up how much we've saved over the past few years. It has really helped our budget.

Did I hear that Warren Buffett was investing in train travel? Public transit is on the way up. I, for one, would appreciate being able to read, play games, or talk instead of driving. Not to mention the help to the environment and the help of saving oil for future needs.

Christopher Rees

January 24, 2012 - 6:06 pm EST

Yes, Warren Buffett invested heavily in Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, which will be transporting North Dakota's growing crude oil production to Texas now that Obama killed the (much cheaper and safer ) Keystone pipeline.
It pays to be in the inner circle of Obama's cozy crony capitalism club!

And everyone is just so thrilled that your husband enjoys PART regularly. In fact I've probably seen him - I did see one of their buses actually transporting somebody once. It must have been him.

As for the PART guy's claim that they transported over 500,000 passengers last year.... well. What can you say?
That's more than the entire population of the Triad! And yet somehow, no-one I know has ever ridden their huge black buses, and everytime I pass one I look across to see the number of passengers. Never have I seen one of their taxpayer subsidized buses more than 5% (five perecnt) full. Usually they're schlepping down I-40 completely empty (I'm serious).

What a waste. What a joke. What an example of the parasitic Alice-In-Wonderland public sector.

January 25, 2012 - 3:33 pm EST

And everyone's "so thrilled" with your ability at math. If you're going to be sarcastic, at least consider a little math and logic before you spew. The ridership numbers reflect repeat trips by the same people over the course of a year.

I don't understand the rage over public transportation. Not everybody has a car. Should they just stay home and draw on public funds? Let them eat cake? I see PART and other forms of public transportation as a help to everyone and the economy. Even those who prefer their own cars benefit from less traffic. What a joke indeed.

January 25, 2012 - 7:57 pm EST

MY math is just fine, love. The methodology used by PART is patently absurd, and designed to justify their continued existence at taxpayer expense. ALL public sector white elephants employ similar deceptions... along with threats that the sky will fall if their subsidies are withdrawn. Perhaps you would more clearly understand the resentment toward government transportation if your shoe were on the other foot. How would you feel about being forced to subsidise the private automobile? And I'm not talking about the little excrescence known as the Toyota Pious - I'm talking about real cars that regular people use.
Cars take you from your front door to your chosen destination at whatever time you wish, by whatever route you wish, stopping wherever you wish en route, and take you back home whenever you wish - even if you're early or late.
Compare that with the concept delivered by government transportation.
You go from a location of their choosing to a destination of their choosing, at pre-determined times chosen by them and you have no privacy, or flexibility. You are in a cattle cart. Public transportation (i.e. government transportation) will become successful just as soon as Americans want to be treated like cattle.
And finally, another contributor asked a great question. What is the cost of each trip taken by each rider?
I bet it would be cheaper to buy them their own reliable used car.

newtogso

January 24, 2012 - 2:32 pm EST

Until I see all lanes of traffic used on a freeway, I refuse to pay a gas tax that supports construction of new roads and interstates. Until I see all parking spaces used in a shopping mall, I refuse to have my water and sewer tax dollars go to extending services to that facility. Until I see every houses garbage can full, garbage should not be picked up - it's not efficient. PART is not a private business, it is a public service. Public services are not businesses and their success, or lack thereof, is not based on profit or how many people are on the bus. Next time, hop on a bus and add to the ridership.

January 24, 2012 - 3:43 pm EST

"Until I see all lanes of traffic used on a freeway, I refuse to pay a gas tax that supports construction of new roads and interstates. Until I see all parking spaces used in a shopping mall, I refuse to have my water and sewer tax dollars go to extending services to that facility."
So you walk EVERYWHERE to avoid the gas taxes? I never knew our water & sewer fees went to pay for parking at the mall. Can you share your source?

Dogwood

January 24, 2012 - 4:30 pm EST

My recent trip to a Baptist/Bowman Gray clinic using the PART system was super. The WSTA transfer was easy and their hybrid buses were clean, nice and punctual. My return PART trip in the afternoon was packed with happy riders. I even met a new friend and we talked all the way back to Greensboro. A+ services with drivers extremely helpful and kind is hard to beat. Thanks PART!

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