ABQ Times

ABQ RIDE reported a total of 7,362,536 rides provided to the community in 2024 through its bus, paratransit, and microtransit services. This represents an increase of over 390,000 rides compared to 2023 and an increase of over 1.1 million rides compared to 2022. The service managed to serve an average of 28 people per vehicle service hour.

Mayor Tim Keller remarked, "We are turning the bus around and ridership rising back up toward pre-pandemic levels in Albuquerque. By implementing Zero Fares, improving transit safety, and launching microtransit to help folks connect, our transit system is more accessible for Burqueños to get across our city."

The pandemic significantly influenced the transit industry, causing a global decline in bus ridership. However, the Zero Fares initiative, which became permanent in January 2022, has helped the recovery process. ABQ RIDE also launched a new microtransit pilot program, ABQ RIDE Connect, which contributed more than 9,100 rides to the 2024 total.

“Ridership data demonstrates there is substantial demand for transit services in Albuquerque,” stated Transit Principal Planner Andrew de Garmo. He noted that despite reduced service levels due to driver and mechanic shortages, ridership remains strong and productive per service hour.

The introduction of Automatic Passenger Counters (APCs) has also improved ridership accuracy, transitioning from previous reliance on fareboxes and manual counts. Data Analyst Kevin Welch commented, “We’re almost 80% of the way to recovering pre-pandemic ridership levels over what has been a long, winding road. Our reporting systems are more accurate than ever with APCs, which provide data we are utilizing to drive efficient management and route solutions.”

To cater to the growing demand for public transportation, ABQ RIDE aims to hire more drivers and mechanics. The hiring incentives range from $500 to $5,000, alongside a training program offering free CDL training and testing. Those interested in transit employment opportunities can apply at CABQ.Gov/TransitJobs, with further details on benefits, hiring incentives, and ridership data available at ABQRIDE.com.