Story via the City Manager’s Weekly Update.
I’m excited to share that in early 2026, we are seeing encouraging signs of continued ridership recovery and growth in our renowned Big Blue Bus transit system!
In January 2026, Big Blue Bus provided 796,000 rides, representing a 4.3% increase compared to January of last year. This marks the second consecutive month of positive year-over-year ridership growth, an important indicator that more people are choosing transit as part of their daily routines.
Fiscal year to date, BBB has provided 5.7 million rides (that’s five point seven million rides!!!), which is an astronomically large number and reinforces the essential role our transit system plays in helping people connect throughout the region.
With Palisades Charter High School returning to its home campus in late January and Santa Monica College beginning its spring semester in February, the team is closely monitoring ridership trends to see whether this upward trajectory continues through the spring.
At the same time, MODE, our on-demand service for seniors and people with disabilities, continues to show particularly strong growth. MODE provided 4,739 rides in January, and year-to-date ridership is up 40%, which underscores just how important flexible, accessible transportation options are for some of our most vulnerable community members.
The real story here, though, is about more than increased ridership. We couldn’t have achieved this sustained increase in service delivery if not for the reliability and service quality being delivered by the men and women who serve on our Big Blue Bus and Mobility teams. Massive thanks and kudos to DOT for their tremendous efforts — and of course, don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about this matter!
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