Greater Richmond Transit Company
Richmond, VA · NTD ID 30006 · 2024 report year
Greater Richmond Transit Company carries 11.0 million passenger trips a year across four modes — bus, bus rapid transit, demand response and vanpool — making it the 63rd-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in Virginia. It is based in Richmond, VA.
It spends $76.8 million a year running that service, or $6.98 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $6.64 per rider — 52% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership is 18% above its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 13% on 2023. Fares cover 3% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#60 of 1,162 nationally | 8,780,975 | $58.3 million | $6.64 | -52% | 1% | 97 |
| Bus Rapid Transit#8 of 20 nationally | 1,786,357 | $5.4 million | $3.03 | -52% | 8% | 10 |
| Demand Response#96 of 1,920 nationally | 256,779 | $10.6 million | $41.17 | +8% | — | 67 |
| Vanpool#34 of 113 nationally | 166,308 | $2.4 million | $14.66 | +107% | 43% | 73 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10,990,419 | $76.8 million | $6.98 |
| 2023 | 9,723,640 | $67.2 million | $6.91 |
| 2022 | 8,560,526 | $66.4 million | $7.76 |
| 2021 | 7,810,521 | $67.6 million | $8.65 |
| 2020 | 8,950,862 | $68.3 million | $7.63 |
| 2019 | 9,283,520 | $66.9 million | $7.21 |
| 2018 | 8,126,404 | $63.0 million | $7.76 |
| 2017 | 8,687,699 | $59.0 million | $6.79 |
| 2016 | 9,401,735 | $60.2 million | $6.41 |
| 2015 | 9,133,126 | $60.1 million | $6.58 |
Where Greater Richmond Transit Company ranks
- Cheapest Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #21 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Bus Rapid Transit Systems #8 of 20
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Ask NTD about Greater Richmond Transit Company →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.