Bus Ridership Down for OC — Now What?

In 2005, when the Orange County Transportation Authority won an award as from the American Public Transportation Association as the nation's best public transit system, ridership was at a near-all-time high of 225,000 weekday boardings. But in 2014, ridership had plummeted to 160,000 weekdays — about 30 percent lower than its heyday. Service cuts and rate hikes have impacted the amount of bus riders, but critics also point to shoddy practices, from a lack of bike racks to tardy buses. What can the OCTA do to boost its figures?