Shortline Transit LLC
Mahwah, NJ · NTD ID 20126 · 2024 report year
Shortline Transit LLC carries 1.9 million passenger trips a year on commuter bus service — making it the 211th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Mahwah, NJ.
It spends $32.0 million a year running that service, or $16.59 per trip. Its commuter bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $16.59 per rider — 42% below the $28.75 median for the 153 US agencies reporting commuter bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 53% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 5% on 2023. Fares cover 80% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commuter Bus#4 of 153 nationally | 1,929,039 | $32.0 million | $16.59 | -42% | 80% | 76 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,929,039 | $32.0 million | $16.59 |
| 2023 | 1,832,789 | $33.5 million | $18.25 |
| 2022 | 1,571,923 | $31.9 million | $20.32 |
| 2021 | 834,360 | $24.4 million | $29.29 |
| 2020 | 1,018,765 | $29.5 million | $29.00 |
| 2019 | 4,061,438 | $66.2 million | $16.29 |
| 2018 | 4,309,984 | $65.1 million | $15.10 |
| 2017 | 4,391,709 | $73.9 million | $16.82 |
| 2016 | 4,347,969 | $66.1 million | $15.19 |
| 2015 | 4,360,967 | $70.6 million | $16.19 |
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Ask NTD about Shortline Transit LLC →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.