Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
San Jose, CA · NTD ID 90013 · 2024 report year
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority carries 27.7 million passenger trips a year across three modes — bus, light rail and demand response — making it the 33rd-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in San Jose, CA.
It spends $486 million a year running that service, or $17.53 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $14.26 per rider — 3% above the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 24% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 16% on 2023. Fares cover 6% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#31 of 1,162 nationally | 22,626,518 | $323 million | $14.26 | +3% | 7% | 352 |
| Light Rail#17 of 22 nationally | 4,723,010 | $136 million | $28.88 | +150% | 4% | 38 |
| Demand Response#65 of 1,920 nationally | 361,254 | $26.9 million | $74.42 | +96% | 5% | 130 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 27,710,782 | $486 million | $17.53 |
| 2023 | 23,853,939 | $467 million | $19.60 |
| 2022 | 17,757,575 | $455 million | $25.62 |
| 2021 | 12,055,696 | $462 million | $38.33 |
| 2020 | 28,707,545 | $489 million | $17.03 |
| 2019 | 36,432,963 | $514 million | $14.10 |
| 2018 | 37,511,168 | $512 million | $13.66 |
| 2017 | 39,137,607 | $489 million | $12.48 |
| 2016 | 43,996,916 | $471 million | $10.69 |
| 2015 | 45,102,666 | $454 million | $10.06 |
Where Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority ranks
- Cheapest Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #22 of 22
- Most Expensive Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #1 of 22
- Highest-Ridership Light Rail Systems #17 of 22
- Most Expensive Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #10 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Bus Agencies #31 of 40
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Ask NTD about Santa Clara Valley Transportation 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.