Topping one million annual rides in 2023, public transit ridership in Racine is on the rise with more commuters choosing to take the bus.

Transit Director Trevor Jung told TMJ’s Tahleel Mohieldin it’s a 40 percent increase from the year prior which he also said was more than the usual Covid bounce back.

“We’re doing really well,” Jung said.

He said while nationally on average transit ridership is 80 percent of what it used to be pre-pandemic; the city of Racine is closer to 100 percent.

"I take the bus every day. I rely on it,” commuter Bradley Stout said. “Overall, I'd give it an 8/10."

Jung credits the city’s outreach efforts with area employers, schools, and community non-profits as well as Ryde Racine adding more stops, for the above-average performance.

City leaders believe ridership will continue to rise as they gear up to launch an app-based fare payment system in partnership with Milwaukee County Transit and Waukesha Metro in the fall.

It’s a change Jung said is meant to make it easier to get people where they need to go and one that riders like Monica Navy seem eager to try.

“It’s convenient,” Navy said, “because who doesn’t have a phone?”