Mass Transit Use Isn't Up Everywhere

The big news in U.S. public transit this week was that Americans took 10.5 billion trips in 2012 — the second-highest number since 1957, according to the American Public Transportation Association. Ridership rose more than a point over last year's figures on buses and subway systems, nearly 4.5 percent on light rail lines (though much of that from expansions), and about 1.5 percent across all transit modes. APTA announced that at least 16 local agencies set records.

Broadly speaking, the report is just the latest encouraging sign that U.S. metropolitan areas are moving toward the multi-modal transportation systems they need to thrive — especially with urban driving at or near (or even a bit past) its peak. In November, localities across the country once again showed a commitment to spend their own money on their own transit systems. We can debate whether U.S. transit ridership is growing enough considering all the resources going its way, but that's a much better question to consider than why it isn't growing at all.