Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority
Birmingham, AL · NTD ID 40042 · 2024 report year
Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority carries 2.0 million passenger trips a year across three modes — bus, bus rapid transit and demand response — making it the 208th-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in Alabama. It is based in Birmingham, AL.
It spends $35.0 million a year running that service, or $17.35 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $14.53 per rider — 5% above the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 38% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 12% on 2023. Fares cover 3% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#203 of 1,162 nationally | 1,500,274 | $21.8 million | $14.53 | +5% | 4% | 34 |
| Bus Rapid Transit#18 of 20 nationally | 389,911 | $3.9 million | $10.03 | +58% | — | 8 |
| Demand Response#208 of 1,920 nationally | 127,964 | $9.3 million | $72.59 | +91% | 2% | 44 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,018,149 | $35.0 million | $17.35 |
| 2023 | 1,795,762 | $37.5 million | $20.88 |
| 2022 | 1,785,977 | $36.7 million | $20.57 |
| 2021 | 1,610,734 | $36.9 million | $22.91 |
| 2020 | 2,065,211 | $38.5 million | $18.66 |
| 2019 | 3,252,178 | $42.3 million | $13.01 |
| 2018 | 3,342,991 | $40.5 million | $12.11 |
| 2017 | 2,800,117 | $45.1 million | $16.12 |
| 2016 | 3,093,510 | $45.8 million | $14.79 |
| 2015 | 3,260,851 | $36.6 million | $11.23 |
Where Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority ranks
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Ask NTD about Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.