Capital Area Transit System
Baton Rouge, LA · NTD ID 60022 · 2024 report year
Capital Area Transit System carries 1.6 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 236th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Baton Rouge, LA.
It spends $34.7 million a year running that service, or $21.80 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $20.45 per rider — 48% above the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 58% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 9% on 2023. Fares cover 4% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#207 of 1,162 nationally | 1,450,616 | $29.7 million | $20.45 | +48% | 4% | 38 |
| Demand Response#182 of 1,920 nationally | 142,550 | $5.1 million | $35.56 | -7% | 1% | 19 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,593,166 | $34.7 million | $21.80 |
| 2023 | 1,461,232 | $32.6 million | $22.31 |
| 2022 | 1,367,438 | $38.5 million | $28.18 |
| 2021 | 1,162,064 | $34.1 million | $29.35 |
| 2020 | 1,897,456 | $34.3 million | $18.10 |
| 2019 | 3,803,859 | $36.1 million | $9.49 |
| 2018 | 3,962,488 | $35.5 million | $8.96 |
| 2017 | 3,812,698 | $34.5 million | $9.06 |
| 2016 | 3,812,160 | $35.9 million | $9.42 |
| 2015 | 4,081,960 | $34.0 million | $8.32 |
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Ask NTD about Capital Area Transit System →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.