Press Release: Mid-Year Numbers Reflect Strong Community Demand for Public Transportation
[Pensacola, Fla.] – Representatives from Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) are pleased to announce ridership numbers for the first half of 2013 are up 3.5 percent over the same period 2012. From January to June of 2013, ECAT has given 739,646 rides, an increase of nearly 25,000 when compared to the previous year.
“For us, this year-to-date snapshot only confirms that the community is continuing to drive the demand for public transportation services here locally,†said Herold Humphreys, General Manager of ECAT. “These are exciting times, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to provide dependable service to a growing number of riders each and every month.â€
Contributing to the increase was June 20 “Dump the Pump†ridership. ECAT, along with more than 100 other transit systems and agencies nationwide, encouraged everyone to try transit for a day. ECAT reported 4,692 rides on this single day – an increase of 10.8 percent when compared to the event in 2012.
“These ridership increases come at a time when we’re utilizing more tools than ever before to communicate with current and potential riders,†said Vikki Garret, staff to the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization and a West Florida Regional Planning Council planner. “Specifically, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are allowing us to reach untapped markets and provide enhanced customer service across the board.â€