Enlarge The (Louisville) Courier-Journal file photo Nova Simpson, 43, said last year she rides four buses in a one-hour round-trip journey to the Kroger on West Broadway from her home near Cane Run Road. The Transit Authority of River City in Louisville is bypassing people at bus stops on some routes because of overcrowding. MASS TRANSIT BOOM MASS TRANSIT BOOM Cash-strapped public transit systems are cutting services and raising fares even as more Americans ditch their gas-guzzling cars for trains and buses, a survey of transit agencies out Tuesday finds. People took 2.8 billion rides on public transit from April through June, up 5.2% over that period last year, reports the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which represents transit agencies. The increase marks the highest ridership for that period in half a century, says William Millar, APTA president. "We're seeing record ridership, but it is a double-edged sword," he says. "We're going to see more (fare) increases and more service cuts at a time when the nation is trying to encourage people to use public transit." Of the 115 agencies that responded, 61% are considering fare hikes to make up for budget shortfalls, while 35% say they may cut services. Only about one-third of costs are covered by fares, APTA says, so transit agencies rely in part on public funding. Funds tied to the health of the economy, such as sales taxes, have been drying up, Millar says. Gasoline prices also are hurting providers. "We've fought for years to have more people using mass transportation to reduce pollution and reliance on foreign oil," says Rod Diridon Sr., executive director of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University. "Now we have the market … but we don't have the capital funding." Although 42% of transit agencies increased frequency of service on existing routes in the past year, some have enacted or proposed service cuts or fare hikes: • The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority proposed a 50-cent fuel surcharge on fares and a 12% cut in services because diesel prices are up and funding from a local sales tax is down, says general manager Joe Calabrese. Riders protested the proposal, and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland asked if money can be found elsewhere. A decision will be made later this month. "We understand cutting back is absolutely the wrong thing to do," Calabrese says. "We are also under an obligation to have a balanced budget." • The Transit Authority of River City (TARC) in Louisville is bypassing people at bus stops on some routes because of overcrowding, says spokeswoman Nina Walfoort. The APTA survey says 39% of transit agencies have turned passengers away. To make up for high diesel costs and reduced revenue from a local occupational tax, the agency raised fares 25 cents to $1.50 on July 1 and cut the frequency of some buses. "We're just tapped out right now," she says. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more