Fairfax County’s Connector bus system has seen double-digit increases in riders, according to a memo that Department of Transportation Director Katharine Ichter gave the Board of Supervisors last month.
In fiscal year 2006, which ended June 30, the Connector reported a 12.4 percent (54,915) more riders than the year before.
On an average weekday, 33,154 passengers rode Connector buses in fiscal 2006, compared to 29,650 in fiscal 2005, an 11.8 percent jump.
On weekends, ridership grew 17.1 percent on Saturdays and 32.6 percent on Sundays.
“It’s not because of just one factor,” said Fairfax County spokeswoman Beth Francis. “We have been working on improving our customer service and reducing complaints, the high gas prices have helped and the traffic jams have made people want to drive less.”
The Connector’s emphasis on customer service has reduced complaints, Ichter said in her memo.
During fiscal 2005, the Connector received 1,551 complaints from customers. A year later, customers sent in 1,229 complaints, a 21 percent drop.
“We’ve tweaked routes and done other things to meet customers’ needs,” Francis said.
One of the tweaks last month split a route that went from Reston Town Center to both Crystal City and the Pentagon. It was switched to two separate routes this weekend, 595 to the Pentagon and 598 to Crystal City.
Being able to stay on schedule and handle the growing ridership and overcrowding spurred the change.
Early next year, Connector riders will be able to use their Metro SmarTrip cards to pay their bus fares.
Currently, Connector buses only accept cash, but that should change in the coming months, Francis said.
“It is being tested now,” she said. “It will definitely happen soon. It is something we know our customers want.”
