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# Big Blue Bus reports big gains in ridership
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/big-blue-bus-reports-big-gains-in-ridership/
- Published: 2008-03-15T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T23:41:39.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By DAILY PRESS STAFF*

CITYWIDE In a region known for being dependent on automobiles, it appears that public transportation is becoming more popular than ever.

Santa Monica-based Big Blue Bus reported a significant increase in ridership in the agency’s 52 square-mile service area Friday. The latest data indicates that between 2004 and 2007, ridership increased overall by 2.3 percent, which is higher than the national average. This translates into 500,000 more trips taken every year, BBB officials said. “I think people are realizing that taking transit makes a lot of sense, especially with gas prices so high and people having to spend so much more of their income now on filling up the tank,” said BBB Customer Relations Manager Dan Dawson.“For less than a dollar, you can go almost anywhere the BBB travels in its service area, which includes not only Santa Monica but cities all around Los Angeles.”

The agency reported across-the-board increases. Weekday trips grew by 1.3 percent during the same period, thanks in part to large gains in such popular routes as the Crosstown Ride, which increased by 133 percent, Line 13 which was up 46 percent and Line 4, which showed a 22 percent increase.

The weekend figures showed even bigger gains, with rid-ership figures up by 9.6 percent on Saturdays and 7.3 percent on Sundays. This translates into 4,500 more people taking the bus each weekend.

According to new figures released this month by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Americans took over 10 billion trips on public transportation in 2007, the highest level recorded in 50 years. APTA noted that public transportation use is up by 32 percent overall since 1995, a figure more than double the 15 percent growth rate of the population.

“We’re operating at a higher efficiency than most agencies across the country,” said BBB General Manager Stephanie Negriff. rce of transportation for our passengers.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 15, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031508.pdf?ref=smdp.com)