Buses get boost from more passenger demand

By WEI YU
Capital News Service
LANSING – Americans took 10.4 billion trips on public transportation in 2011, 2.3 percent more than the previous year — an upward trend in Michigan as well, the American Public Transportation Association reports. The association said total bus ridership increased in most of Michigan’s primary cities last year. However, Sandy Lovell, an accountant at the Office of Passenger Transportation in the Department of Transportation, said ridership in Detroit decreased in 2011. Except for Detroit, six primary Michigan cities experienced increased ridership: 5.7 percent in Ann Arbor, 6.4 percent in Bay City, 5.8 percent in Lansing, 3.4 percent in Monroe, 10.3 percent in Muskegon Heights and 9.7 percent in Port Huron. The pattern is continuing this year.