As one of the main arteries of the San Francisco Bay Area’s transportation system, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) serves hundreds of thousands of riders every day. However, the ridership patterns are not static—they reflect the broader societal trends and events, ranging from commuting habits to global crises. In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into BART’s ridership data from January 2019 to April 2023.
First, here’s the raw ridership data, from the MTA:
- January 2019: 395,860
- February 2019: 407,339
- March 2019: 409,516
- April 2019: 414,411
- May 2019: 412,165
- June 2019: 413,525
- July 2019: 401,465
- August 2019: 410,854
- September 2019: 426,758
- October 2019: 420,289
- November 2019: 411,183
- December 2019: 376,552
- January 2020: 388,922
- February 2020: 404,553
- March 2020: 166,577
- April 2020: 25,142
- May 2020: 29,878
- June 2020: 40,994
- July 2020: 45,637
- August 2020: 46,021
- September 2020: 48,838
- October 2020: 53,255
- November 2020: 52,197
- December 2020: 45,893
- January 2021: 43,012
- February 2021: 47,665
- March 2021: 51,595
- April 2021: 57,886
- May 2021: 64,934
- June 2021: 75,963
- July 2021: 83,491
- August 2021: 92,402
- September 2021: 103,177
- October 2021: 108,645
- November 2021: 106,455
- December 2021: 98,658
- January 2022: 83,790
- February 2022: 103,173
- March 2022: 124,094
- April 2022: 132,181
- May 2022: 132,161
- June 2022: 140,564
- July 2022: 130,418
- August 2022: 143,397
- September 2022: 155,236
- October 2022: 154,932
- November 2022: 138,853
- December 2022: 125,769
- January 2023: 126,346
- February 2023: 145,265
- March 2023: 149,051
- April 2023: 157,264
Steady Ridership Pre-Pandemic
In 2019, BART’s ridership remained relatively stable, with average monthly ridership ranging from 376,552 (December) to 426,758 (September).
While minor fluctuations occurred due to seasonal variations, the overall ridership pattern was consistent, indicating a steady demand for public transit in the Bay Area.
The Impact of COVID-19
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 profoundly affected BART ridership. The drastic drop in ridership began in March, reflecting the implementation of stay-at-home orders and the transition to remote work for many Bay Area residents. By April 2020, BART ridership plummeted to 25,142—an unprecedented low in the history of BART, reflecting the extensive impact of the pandemic on public transit.
Slow Road to Recovery
As 2021 rolled around, BART began to see a gradual increase in ridership as restrictions eased and some individuals returned to in-person work. However, the numbers were still far below pre-pandemic levels. Despite this, the upward trend indicated a slow return to normalcy.
Rising Confidence in Public Transit
The year 2022 showed a promising rise in BART ridership. By April, the average monthly ridership had risen to 132,181—a significant increase from the same period in the previous two years, though still short of the pre-pandemic figures.
A Glimpse of the Future
The first four months of 2023 show an encouraging trend, with ridership continuing to grow. By April 2023, ridership reached 157,264—a number not seen since pre-pandemic days. While it’s still early to tell, this could signal a return to the stability seen in 2019.
Conclusion
The BART ridership data from 2019 to 2023 offers a unique lens into the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transit and the gradual return to normalcy as conditions improve. However, the story is still unfolding. As we move further into 2023, it will be interesting to see how these trends continue to evolve. Will we return to the stable patterns of 2019, or will we see a new normal emerge? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to track BART ridership throughout 2023 and beyond.
