Mode detail

Demand Response

Demand response: trips booked in advance, mostly paratransit. One or two riders per trip by design, which is why its cost per boarding is many times that of a bus.

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Boardings

Nationwide, annual

Operating cost

As reported and in 2024 dollars

Largest Demand Response operators, FY2025

# Agency Service Boardings Operating cost Cost / ride Subsidy / ride Fare recovery
1 Purchased transportation 3,111,386 $285,501,209 $91.76 $89.84 2.1%
2
Access Services
El Monte, CA
Purchased transportation 3,045,991 $175,230,001 $57.53 $55.32 3.8%
3
Pace Suburban Bus
Arlington Heights, IL
Purchased transportation 2,467,604 $191,040,165 $77.42 $74.73 3.5%
4
Metropolitan Council
Saint Paul, MN
Purchased transportation 2,280,769 $132,889,214 $58.27 $56.01 3.9%
5
Houston METRO
Houston, TX
Purchased transportation 2,232,231 $117,451,038 $52.62 $51.73 1.7%
6
Baltimore MTA
Baltimore, MD
Purchased transportation 2,127,110 $141,460,768 $66.50 $66.47 0%
7
Baltimore MTA
Baltimore, MD
Purchased transportation - taxi 1,627,257 $100,321,023 $61.65 $61.61 0.1%
8 Purchased transportation 1,626,239 $75,650,528 $46.52 $43.00 7.6%
9
Access Services
El Monte, CA
Purchased transportation - taxi 1,569,565 $92,548,549 $58.96 $56.63 4%
10 Purchased transportation 1,517,186 $166,276,873 $109.60 $107.59 1.8%
11 Purchased transportation 1,497,687 $106,743,548 $71.27 $68.80 3.5%
12
San Antonio VIA
San Antonio, TX
Purchased transportation 1,205,212 $32,758,025 $27.18 $26.11 4%
13
Capital Metro
Austin, TX
Purchased transportation 1,192,253 $86,981,603 $72.96 $72.46 0.7%
14 Purchased transportation 1,177,748 $78,906,785 $67.00 $64.76 3.3%
15 Purchased transportation 1,154,230 $55,345,037 $47.95 $47.30 1.3%
16 Purchased transportation 1,135,910 $71,164,097 $62.65 $61.26 2.2%
17 Purchased transportation 1,129,315 $102,785,319 $91.02 $90.21 0.9%
18 Purchased transportation 1,117,114 $188,715,449 $168.93 $166.69 1.3%
19 Purchased transportation - taxi 1,074,898 $17,926,989 $16.68 $14.38 13.8%
20
Washington Metro
Washington, DC
Purchased transportation 1,039,844 $182,262,667 $175.28 $172.00 1.9%
21
Palm Tran, Inc.
West Palm Beach, FL
Purchased transportation 1,027,710 $69,414,341 $67.54 $63.86 5.5%
22 Purchased transportation 926,072 $68,983,213 $74.49 $68.36 8.2%
23 Purchased transportation 916,595 $68,945,310 $75.22 $68.70 8.7%
24 Purchased transportation 867,197 $36,433,350 $42.01 $32.42 22.8%
25 Directly operated 847,674 $34,813,184 $41.07 $36.46 11.2%