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City of Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge, TN · NTD ID 41136 · 2024 report year

Annual trips2.1 million #201 in the US
Operating expense$3.9 million 2024, as reported
Cost per rider$1.83 all modes combined
Farebox recovery13.3% fares ÷ operating cost

City of Pigeon Forge carries 2.1 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 201st-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Pigeon Forge, TN.

It spends $3.9 million a year running that service, or $1.83 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $1.83 per rider — 87% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.

Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 32% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and flat on 2023. Fares cover 13% of operating cost.

Service by mode, 2024

ModeAnnual tripsOperating expense Cost per ridervs national median FareboxVehicles
Bus#164 of 1,162 nationally 2,112,281 $3.9 million $1.83 -87% 13% 17
Demand Response#1920 of 1,920 nationally 8 $580 $72.50 +91% 1% 2

Ridership, 2015–2024

3.1 million 1.8 million 2024 2015
YearAnnual trips Operating expense (2024 $)Cost per rider (2024 $)
2024 2,112,289 $3.9 million $1.83
2023 2,112,478 $3.5 million $1.66
2022 2,276,354 $4.0 million $1.76
2021 1,818,694 $3.3 million $1.83
2020 2,232,347 $3.5 million $1.55
2019 3,113,887 $4.4 million $1.41
2018 2,967,741 $3.3 million $1.12
2017 2,809,997 $3.3 million $1.17
2016 2,806,838 $3.0 million $1.08
2015 2,287,113 $3.0 million $1.33

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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.