Central Midlands Regional Transportation Authority
Columbia, SC · NTD ID 40141 · 2024 report year
Central Midlands Regional Transportation Authority carries 2.0 million passenger trips a year across four modes — bus, vanpool, demand response and commuter bus — making it the 207th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Columbia, SC.
It spends $28.0 million a year running that service, or $13.77 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $11.09 per rider — 20% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 26% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 3% on 2023. Fares cover 15% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#174 of 1,162 nationally | 1,939,968 | $21.5 million | $11.09 | -20% | 18% | 53 |
| Vanpool#63 of 113 nationally | 49,485 | $276,968 | $5.60 | -21% | 106% | 27 |
| Demand Response#690 of 1,920 nationally | 39,376 | $5.6 million | $142.99 | +276% | 2% | 17 |
| Commuter Bus#134 of 153 nationally | 6,888 | $612,318 | $88.90 | +209% | 2% | 2 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,035,717 | $28.0 million | $13.77 |
| 2023 | 1,968,473 | $29.4 million | $14.91 |
| 2022 | 1,665,517 | $30.8 million | $18.50 |
| 2021 | 2,115,715 | $33.2 million | $15.68 |
| 2020 | 2,452,324 | $25.3 million | $10.33 |
| 2019 | 2,733,489 | $25.2 million | $9.21 |
| 2018 | 2,648,442 | $23.2 million | $8.77 |
| 2017 | 2,496,462 | $22.2 million | $8.91 |
| 2016 | 2,419,688 | $21.0 million | $8.66 |
| 2015 | 2,117,302 | $20.7 million | $9.78 |
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Ask NTD about Central Midlands Regional 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.