Compared to a corresponding four-week period in February 2011, ridership on Route #4 was 26% greater. That compared with a system‐wide ridership increase of 12% for the same period – an increase attributed primarily to very good weather. Chris White, AATA manager of service development, is still cautious about drawing conclusions from the initial data, writing in an email to The Chronicle, “It is very positive, but please note that the service has not been in place long enough to judge the results.”

The on‐time performance of Route #4 increased from 74% in 2011 to 95% in 2012. System‐wide on-time performance increased from 85% to 91%.

The initial report on Route #4 ridership, one week after more frequent service was offered, showed an increase of 8% compared to the previous week and compared to a systemwide ridership decrease of 0.6%.  The AATA board authorized the increased service on Route #4 at its Nov. 17, 2011 meeting.

At the board’s planning and development committee meeting the previous week, Chris White – AATA’s manager of service development – urged caution about the increased ridership and on-time performance on the routes. It’s just the first week and it’s possible that riders are simply switching routes. Compared to the previous week, before the implementation of the more frequent service, ridership on Route #4 increased 8% compared to a systemwide ridership decrease of 0.6%.

On Route #4, ridership numbers were as follows: Jan. 23-Jan. 27: 18,388 | Jan. 30-Feb. 3: 19,796. Systemwide, ridership for the same period: Jan. 23-Jan. 27: 129,579 | Jan. 30-Feb. 3: 128,754. Over the same timeframe, on‐time performance of Route #4 increased 9% compared to a 1% increase systemwide. On-time performance for Route #4 after implementation of increased service was 95%. Systemwide, it was 89%.

This brief was filed from the fourth-floor boardroom of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave, where the AATA board holds its meetings. A more detailed report will follow: [link]