BART announces Friday's Spare the Air ridership estimates
BART is projecting at least a 6% increase in ridership Friday, July 21 as a result of the Spare the Air free transit day. That means an estimated 20,000 more people are expected to take BART than usual Friday. Total ridership for Friday, July 21, is projected to be 343,000. Friday is the last of the six, free transit Spare the Air days in 2006.
The 20,000 figure is a conservative estimate based on morning commute counts, which do not factor in the number of leisure riders who are choosing to take advantage of free rides on BART through tonight. The combined additional ridership for all six Spare the Air days in 2006 is an estimated 151,000 people who took BART instead of driving, helping protect the Bay Area's air quality.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has declared Monday, July 24 a Spare the Air day because ground-level ozone levels are forecast to reach unhealthful levels. However, tomorrow will not be a free transit day. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission authorized free transit days for only the first six non-holiday weekdays declared Spare the Air days.
SPARE THE AIR BART RIDERSHIP ESTIMATES
- Thursday June 22, 2006: 33,000 additional riders
- Friday June 23, 2006: 16,000 additional riders
- Monday June 26, 2006: 28,000 additional riders
- Monday July 17, 2006: 26,000 additional riders
- Thursday July 20, 2006: 28,000 additional riders
- Friday July 21, 2006: 20,000 additional riders
- TOTAL: 151,000 additional riders