Lexington Transit Authority
Lexington, KY · NTD ID 40017 · 2024 report year
Lexington Transit Authority carries 4.2 million passenger trips a year across three modes — bus, demand response and vanpool — making it the 128th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Lexington, KY.
It spends $31.7 million a year running that service, or $7.60 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $5.87 per rider — 58% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 10% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 12% on 2023. Fares cover 13% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#106 of 1,162 nationally | 3,990,477 | $23.4 million | $5.87 | -58% | 16% | 53 |
| Demand Response#170 of 1,920 nationally | 150,921 | $8.2 million | $54.19 | +42% | 3% | 39 |
| Vanpool#80 of 113 nationally | 21,971 | $58,790 | $2.68 | -62% | 132% | 14 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4,163,369 | $31.7 million | $7.60 |
| 2023 | 3,733,026 | $32.6 million | $8.74 |
| 2022 | 2,971,187 | $28.3 million | $9.54 |
| 2021 | 2,549,621 | $28.7 million | $11.26 |
| 2020 | 4,004,259 | $30.2 million | $7.54 |
| 2019 | 4,612,703 | $32.3 million | $7.00 |
| 2018 | 4,171,173 | $31.7 million | $7.61 |
| 2017 | 4,458,137 | $29.7 million | $6.66 |
| 2016 | 4,019,522 | $29.9 million | $7.44 |
| 2015 | 4,040,229 | $31.4 million | $7.78 |
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Ask NTD about Lexington Transit Authority →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.