The number of privately operated urban transportation systems, as well as their revenue and jobs, doubled between 1997 and 2002, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The report, which covers transit and ground passenger transportation, shows the nation had 1,234 urban transit systems in 2002, up from 618 in 1997. Revenues grew from $1.5 billion to $3.6 billion during the same time frame. Also, urban transportation systems employed nearly 66,000 people in 2002, compared with 33,000 in 1997.
The report does not include information on public employees and excludes passenger rail, such as Amtrak.
Urban transit systems are defined as local and suburban rail and bus passenger operations with regular routes in metropolitan areas. The report does not cover public sector business operations, such as buses operated by school districts.
