Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Austin, TX · NTD ID 60048 · 2024 report year
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority carries 26.5 million passenger trips a year across five modes — bus, demand response, hybrid rail, vanpool and commuter bus — making it the 34th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Austin, TX.
It spends $390 million a year running that service, or $14.75 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $11.13 per rider — 20% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 15% 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#28 of 1,162 nationally | 24,335,001 | $271 million | $11.13 | -20% | 4% | 301 |
| Demand Response#16 of 1,920 nationally | 1,089,647 | $80.3 million | $73.70 | +94% | 1% | 197 |
| Hybrid Rail#4 of 6 nationally | 540,807 | $33.9 million | $62.74 | +52% | 3% | 12 |
| Vanpool#19 of 113 nationally | 376,711 | $2.4 million | $6.30 | -11% | 77% | 191 |
| Commuter Bus#46 of 153 nationally | 131,275 | $3.0 million | $22.66 | -21% | 9% | 12 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26,473,441 | $390 million | $14.75 |
| 2023 | 24,332,441 | $355 million | $14.60 |
| 2022 | 20,417,077 | $304 million | $14.89 |
| 2021 | 16,815,879 | $274 million | $16.29 |
| 2020 | 22,702,466 | $278 million | $12.26 |
| 2019 | 31,078,420 | $287 million | $9.24 |
| 2018 | 29,491,269 | $283 million | $9.60 |
| 2017 | 29,779,395 | $278 million | $9.32 |
| 2016 | 31,048,807 | $283 million | $9.11 |
| 2015 | 34,700,250 | $258 million | $7.42 |
Where Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority ranks
- Most Expensive Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #26 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Bus Agencies #28 of 40
- Most Expensive Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services by Cost per Rider #9 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services #16 of 40
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Ask NTD about Capital Metropolitan Transportation 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.