Fairfax County, VA
Fairfax, VA · NTD ID 30068 · 2024 report year
Fairfax County, VA carries 8.7 million passenger trips a year on bus service — making it the 76th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Fairfax, VA.
It spends $111 million a year running that service, or $12.74 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $12.74 per rider — 8% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership is 5% above its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 4% 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#61 of 1,162 nationally | 8,721,363 | $111 million | $12.74 | -8% | 7% | 275 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8,721,363 | $111 million | $12.74 |
| 2023 | 8,365,190 | $114 million | $13.59 |
| 2022 | 7,214,551 | $114 million | $15.78 |
| 2021 | 4,566,013 | $112 million | $24.47 |
| 2020 | 6,788,632 | $110 million | $16.25 |
| 2019 | 8,334,449 | $105 million | $12.58 |
| 2018 | 8,312,983 | $108 million | $12.93 |
| 2017 | 8,631,906 | $103 million | $11.95 |
| 2016 | 8,984,286 | $106 million | $11.84 |
| 2015 | 9,764,166 | $108 million | $11.02 |
Where Fairfax County, VA ranks
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Ask NTD about Fairfax County, VA →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.