City of Santa Monica
Santa Monica, CA · NTD ID 90008 · 2024 report year
City of Santa Monica carries 8.6 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 78th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Santa Monica, CA.
It spends $89.3 million a year running that service, or $10.35 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $10.29 per rider — 26% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 31% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 11% on 2023. Fares cover 7% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#63 of 1,162 nationally | 8,604,201 | $88.6 million | $10.29 | -26% | 7% | 124 |
| Demand Response#834 of 1,920 nationally | 29,258 | $770,239 | $26.33 | -31% | 1% | 38 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8,633,459 | $89.3 million | $10.35 |
| 2023 | 7,767,725 | $83.2 million | $10.71 |
| 2022 | 6,333,923 | $80.0 million | $12.64 |
| 2021 | 5,040,393 | $84.5 million | $16.76 |
| 2020 | 10,320,264 | $98.5 million | $9.54 |
| 2019 | 12,567,992 | $100 million | $7.97 |
| 2018 | 13,208,810 | $100 million | $7.58 |
| 2017 | 13,356,740 | $95.8 million | $7.17 |
| 2016 | 16,601,271 | $95.5 million | $5.75 |
| 2015 | 18,773,986 | $91.9 million | $4.90 |
Where City of Santa Monica ranks
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Ask NTD about City of Santa Monica →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.