The popularity of public transit in Miami-Dade still lags behind several comparable counties, but Miami-Dade Transit saw a healthy bump in ridership in 2013, according to a new report from the American Public Transportation Agency (APTA)..
Last year, 110,926,500 trips were taken via Miami-Dade Transit (MDT). That's up from 108,432,700 in 2012, a 2.3 percent jump. That's more than double the total 1.1 percent seen across the nation.
No mode of transportation saw a larger increase in ridership than Metrorail. About 21,275,400 trips were taken through the heavy-rail transit system in 2013. That's up from 19,242,800 in 2012 -- a 10.56 percent change.
However, the bus still remains the most popular mode of public transit in Miami-Dade. The number of trips taken on Metrobus in 2013 was 78,273,800, up 0.04 percent from 2012's 78,241,400.
Metromover serviced 9,676,000 trips in 2013. That's a healthy 4.55 percent increase from 9,255,700 trips in 2012.
Special transportation services were also up 0.47 percent, but they make up only a nominal part of total ridership.
These totals do not include services not run by MDT, such as municipal trolly services.
Though these increases aren't mind-boggling, APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy says they're part of a larger change across the nation.
"There is a fundamental shift going on in the way we move about our communities. People in record numbers are demanding more public transit services, and communities are benefiting with strong economic growth," Melaniphy said in a statement.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
