Bus ridership in Prince William county soared 30 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2009, but a transit agency official says he does not believe the trend will continue.

“We’re not seeing a drop-off in ridership,” said Al Harf, executive director of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission. “We’re not plateauing. [The increase] is straining our capacity even beyond what we thought it would be.”