Key West Transit Development Plan FY2025-2034

3.1 Existing Transit Services Overview

Figure 3-3: Ridership Trends

3.1.4 Ridership Trends Figure 3-3 : Ridership Trends, illustrates Key West Transit (KWT) ridership trends from fiscal year (FY) 2019 to FY 2023. A notable decline in ridership, like all transit agencies during FY 20-21 is attributed to the global pandemic. However, since then, there has been a steady recovery in ridership, with an annual increase of over 50,000 passenger trips between FY 21/22 and FY 22/23. During this period, several changes occurred in KWT’s services. Notably, city bus routes underwent alterations, with the cessation of Red/Blue/ Green/Orange Lines in April 2020 and the introduction of North Line/ South Line services from May 2020 to June 2023. Furthermore, Key West Rides on demand service commenced on November 30, 2022, and Workforce Express began operating in June 2023. Figure 3-3 : Ridership Trends displays the detailed ridership trends over the past five years for each route, including the former City Bus Routes, Workforce Express, Lower Keys Shuttle, Duval Loop, and Key West Rides. Despite fluctuations in individual routes’ ridership, the total ridership trend shows a gradual recovery, reaching 334,739 in passenger trips by FY 2023. 3.1.4.1 A correlation analysis was performed to compare monthly ridership with tourism-related variables. In March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention halted cruise travel in U.S. waters. That meant that cruise ships were no longer stopping in Key West. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on tourism in Key West. In addition, the November 2020 elections in the City of Key West, residents put a capacity limit on cruise ships that are allowed to dock on the island. By excluding ships carrying more than 1,500 passengers, the city opted for smaller, less disruptive boats.

800,000 600,000 700,000 400,000 500,000 200,000 300,000 100,000 0

761,655

652,374

334,739

223,863

239,602

FY 18-19 FY 19-20 FY 20-21 FY 21-22 FY 22-23

City Bus Routes Lower Keys Shuttle

Duval Loop Workforce Express

Key West Rides Total

Data Source: Key West Transit Notes:

1. City Bus Routes had been changed during FY19 to FY23. Red/ Blue/ Green/ Orange Lines ended service in April 2020. North Line/South Line served from May 2020 to June 2023. Key

West Rides on demand service started since Nov 30, 2022. 2. Workforce Express started service since June 2023. 3. Key West Rides On-Demand Service started since December 2022.

Transit Development Plan FY 2025–2034

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