More Commuters Using Buses, Study Finds
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ORANGE COUNTY — More Orange County residents who can use cars to get where they are going are instead opting to ride the bus, but most of the riders still are low-income minorities, according to a survey released Wednesday by the transit officials.
The results were encouraging to Orange County Transportation Authority officials. Although most riders still depend on buses, the authority is reaching more people who choose to ride the bus.
The survey, which is conducted every four years, helps officials make decisions about bus service and riders’ needs. The authority has one of the fastest-growing bus systems in the country, with ridership increasing 12% since 1992 to 53 million boardings last year.
Still, the picture that emerges of commuters in the county is far from a complete image of county residents. About 75% of bus riders are minorities and nearly 80% of those who responded have an annual household income of less than $35,000.
The new statistics are based on nearly 15,000 surveys collected systemwide in October and November.
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