MBTA ridership dropped only slightly in July despite the fare increases that went into effect that month, a welcome statistic for officials who said they braced for a decrease of 5.5 percent.
Today’s numbers show the average weekday ridership in July on the public transit system was 1.285 million — 0.1 percent lower than July 2011, when 1.286 million riders were recorded.
In July, bus, commuter rail, and ferry ridership increased, while passenger trips on subway and the RIDE decreased.
While the average cost to ride the T increased by an average of 23 percent, The RIDE, the T’s paratransit system for people with disabilities, suffered a 100 percent fare increase of $2 to $4, a move that sparked disappointment and outrage in the Boston-area’s disabled community.
Acting T General Manager Jonathan Davis said officials were pleased with the numbers for July but will continue to watch the ridership before making any final judgements on the effects of the fare increase.
