City of Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ · NTD ID 90032 · 2024 report year
City of Phoenix carries 24.0 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 39th-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in Arizona. It is based in Phoenix, AZ.
It spends $243 million a year running that service, or $10.11 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $9.22 per rider — 33% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 41% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 23% on 2023. Fares cover 6% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#30 of 1,162 nationally | 23,730,179 | $219 million | $9.22 | -33% | 6% | 386 |
| Demand Response#79 of 1,920 nationally | 293,730 | $24.1 million | $81.99 | +115% | 4% | 105 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24,023,909 | $243 million | $10.11 |
| 2023 | 19,524,337 | $238 million | $12.18 |
| 2022 | 20,001,752 | $225 million | $11.24 |
| 2021 | 38,687,668 | $230 million | $5.95 |
| 2020 | 30,630,461 | $253 million | $8.25 |
| 2019 | 41,042,579 | $253 million | $6.16 |
| 2018 | 37,790,659 | $247 million | $6.54 |
| 2017 | 39,314,689 | $227 million | $5.78 |
| 2016 | 34,156,165 | $215 million | $6.30 |
| 2015 | 38,684,567 | $216 million | $5.59 |
Where City of Phoenix ranks
- Highest-Ridership Bus Agencies #30 of 40
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Ask NTD about City of Phoenix →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.