Public transportation ridership nationwide approached 2.6 billion trips for the first quarter of 2013. This was a slight decline of 1.9 percent from the first quarter of 2012. However, the 2013 ridership number is 2.5 percent higher than the first quarter of 2011, according to an APTA report released June 13.

“Despite this small decrease, demand and support for public transportation remain strong,” said APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy, who noted that voters approved nearly 80 percent of state and local public transit ballot initiatives in 2012. He also noted that last year’s first quarter ridership surged by 5 percent, in part because of a spike in high gas prices.

Further, last year’s first quarter also included the leap-year day of Feb. 29, resulting in an extra weekday in the 2012 first quarter. According to APTA analysis, one extra weekday contributes to an increase of 1.4 percent in ridership, which nearly offsets the decline for the first quarter of this year.

In the first quarter, some cities saw ridership increases due to economic recovery. They include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, New Orleans, Champaign-Urbana, IL, Chapel Hill, NC, and Ithaca, NY.

“Ridership continues to grow in those areas where the economy is recovering and jobs are increasing,” Melaniphy added, noting that nearly 60 percent of trips taken on public transportation are for work commutes.

To see the report, click here.