Skift Take
Public transportation is becoming more popular countrywide as a new generation of millennials moves away from personal vehicles in favor of more affordable bikes, buses, and monthly subway passes.
The New York City subway system had its busiest day on record on Thursday, October 24, 2013. A total of 5,985,311 rides were taken that day, according to The Mobility Factbook created by the NYU Rudin Center for Transporation.
The subway system served an average of 5.4 million riders on a typical weekday in 2013. This was the highest volume served since 1950. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has used some form of rider measurement since at least 1946.
In fact, subway ridership has been on the rise for several years. Annual ridership reached a 62-year high in 2012 with 1.654 billion trips.
The Mobility Factbook, which highlights the scope of the New York transportation environment, suggests that New Yorkers’ transit options are becoming more diverse. New Yorkers are riding bikes, buying motorcycles, and traveling during off-peak times more frequently than ever before.
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Tags: nyc, skiftstats, subway
Photo credit: A sign for the New York City subway station. Shane Adams / Flickr