Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority
Cincinnati, OH · NTD ID 50012 · 2024 report year
Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority carries 13.6 million passenger trips a year across two modes — bus and demand response — making it the 55th-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Cincinnati, OH.
It spends $159 million a year running that service, or $11.68 per trip. Its bus service, the largest of its modes, costs $11.04 per rider — 20% below the $13.86 median for the 1,162 US agencies reporting bus.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 3% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 4% on 2023. Fares cover 11% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus#42 of 1,162 nationally | 13,315,628 | $147 million | $11.04 | -20% | 12% | 253 |
| Demand Response#95 of 1,920 nationally | 263,088 | $11.6 million | $44.07 | +16% | 8% | 60 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13,578,716 | $159 million | $11.68 |
| 2023 | 13,083,835 | $155 million | $11.82 |
| 2022 | 9,847,273 | $137 million | $13.87 |
| 2021 | 9,730,680 | $141 million | $14.45 |
| 2020 | 7,417,734 | $118 million | $15.94 |
| 2019 | 14,003,193 | $131 million | $9.38 |
| 2018 | 14,467,431 | $127 million | $8.75 |
| 2017 | 15,071,609 | $124 million | $8.23 |
| 2016 | 15,566,731 | $124 million | $7.97 |
| 2015 | 16,174,753 | $121 million | $7.47 |
Where Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority ranks
- Most Expensive Bus Systems by Cost per Rider #29 of 40
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Large Bus Systems #29 of 40
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Ask NTD about Southwest Ohio Regional 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.