PSTA Sets Ridership Record Again

For the fourth month in a row, Bay area residents boarded PSTA buses in record setting numbers. And, the latest record – for the month of March – has surpassed all previous monthly ridership records in the transit agency’s history, a news release said.

“PSTA has never before carried so many people in a single month,” says CEO Brad Miller in a news release.

Preliminary numbers indicate that PSTA had more than 1,232,000 riders.

“We’re excited to see major jumps in ridership on our newer services such as the Jolley Trolley extension to Tarpon Springs, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Shuttle and Central Avenue Trolley. But more than that, we’re seeing strong surges in ridership on all routes, despite overall reductions in service the past few years," Miller added

PSTA officials say March is typically the highest ridership month of the year, but they say that may soon change now that baseball season has started, a news release said. 

Last fall, PSTA introduced the new Central Avenue Trolley, which runs from downtown St. Petersburg to Pass-a-Grille.

“The Rays first home playoff game was the same day that we started the Central Avenue Trolley service,” says PSTA Spokesperson Bob Lasher in a news release. “The trolleys were packed with Rays fans who were heading to the stop at the Pinellas Trail by Ferg’s for the short walk to Tropicana Field.  A full season of home games, and of course the playoffs, should play a big role in helping PSTA set even more ridership records.”