PORT TOWNSEND – Jefferson Transit ridership during 2006 rolled over the record set the previous year, as rising gas prices, tailored scheduling and a cheap day pass drove more people to take the bus.
This year’s ridership numbers are the highest in the transportation agency’s 36-year history, said a smiling Dave Turissini, Jefferson Transit general manager last week.
Not only are rising gas prices credited for raising ridership, Turissini said, but also, “We are designing the system more to fit passenger needs.”
Day passes of $1.25 allow riders to take the bus as far away as Sequim and Poulsbo and return to Jefferson County, and Turissini said they are much of the reason why ridership is rising.
General fixed ridership was up in 2006 by 16.7 percent over 2005, and overall ridership, which includes all transportation modes such as Dial-A-Ride, was up 12.9 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, Transit figures show.
The figures show a total of 338,772 riders used Jefferson Transit during 2006, compared to 300,014 in 2005 and 278,230 in 2004.
While gas prices soared past $3 a gallon in the summer of 2005, they have rolled back to the $2.60-a-gallon range since then.
