Valley Transit is reporting a sharp drop in ridership while businesses were closed, and people were urged to stay at home.
April’s numbers were down 71 percent, with fewer than 25,000 rides. There were almost 88,000 rides in April of last year.
General Manager Ron McDonald says May was a little better, because they saw a little increase after the “safer at home” order was struck down. The month ended with more than 27,000 rides, and that’s down 68 percent from last year.
McDonald says the bus system is also getting $7.4 million in federal stimulus money, and he expects they have two or three years to use it all. He’s not sure what the long-term impact of the pandemic could be on the bus system.
He says they don’t have to spend it on coronavirus-related expenses.
