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North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC · NTD ID 40147 · 2024 report year

Annual trips2.7 million #171 in the US
Operating expense$3.2 million 2024, as reported
Cost per rider$1.20 all modes combined
Farebox recovery— fares ÷ operating cost

North Carolina State University carries 2.7 million passenger trips a year on bus service — making it the 171st-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Raleigh, NC.

It spends $3.2 million a year running that service, or $1.20 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $1.20 per rider — 91% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.

Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 21% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 4% on 2023.

Service by mode, 2024

ModeAnnual tripsOperating expense Cost per ridervs national median FareboxVehicles
Bus#137 of 1,162 nationally 2,671,487 $3.2 million $1.20 -91% — 25

Ridership, 2015–2024

3.5 million 480,984 2024 2015
YearAnnual trips Operating expense (2024 $)Cost per rider (2024 $)
2024 2,671,487 $3.2 million $1.20
2023 2,560,095 $3.1 million $1.21
2022 2,250,535 $2.9 million $1.30
2021 480,984 $2.4 million $4.91
2020 2,851,446 $3.7 million $1.31
2019 3,362,828 $3.9 million $1.17
2018 3,506,210 $3.9 million $1.12
2017 3,327,651 $3.5 million $1.04
2016 3,220,567 $3.3 million $1.02
2015 3,149,045 $7.5 million $2.39

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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.