Central New York Regional Transportation Authority
Syracuse, NY · NTD ID 20018 · 2024 report year
Central New York Regional Transportation Authority carries 7.3 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 87th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Syracuse, NY.
It spends $79.7 million a year running that service, or $10.92 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $9.47 per rider — 32% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 28% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 9% on 2023. Fares cover 14% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#74 of 1,162 nationally | 7,095,548 | $67.2 million | $9.47 | -32% | 16% | 131 |
| Demand Response#120 of 1,920 nationally | 201,194 | $12.5 million | $62.08 | +63% | 4% | 61 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7,296,742 | $79.7 million | $10.92 |
| 2023 | 6,685,285 | $80.8 million | $12.09 |
| 2022 | 5,050,975 | $78.4 million | $15.52 |
| 2021 | 3,252,204 | $82.7 million | $25.42 |
| 2020 | 9,711,754 | $88.3 million | $9.10 |
| 2019 | 10,194,902 | $88.6 million | $8.69 |
| 2018 | 10,396,768 | $86.6 million | $8.33 |
| 2017 | 10,854,124 | $85.7 million | $7.89 |
| 2016 | 10,913,355 | $87.3 million | $8.00 |
| 2015 | 9,699,709 | $61.6 million | $6.35 |
Where Central New York Regional Transportation Authority ranks
- Most Expensive Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #37 of 40
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Large Bus Systems #18 of 40
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Ask NTD about Central New York 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.