Mode Shift in the 1990s

After decades in which public transit lost ridership and market share to the automobile, ridership on subways and buses in New York City rose far more rapidly in the 1990s than did auto ownership or auto trip making. This report examines the unprecedented and unforeseen shift in modal growth and mode shares in New York City. The report explores:

How mode shares changed
Why they changed
Implications for future public policy decisions

Executive Summary

Full Report (Acrobat PDF format; 411 kb)

New York Times article: "In Switch, Transit Ridership Outpaces Cars, Study Finds"

Report published August 2001