SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA TRANSIT EYES MORE RIDERS

A lot of people stopped using public transportation during the pandemic, including riders in Sacramento who relied on the city's bus and train network, according to KCRA 3 News.

However, now that more people are vaccinated and returning to work, Sacramento Regional Transit, or SacRT, is hoping to welcome more riders back on board.

SacRT said it was carrying nearly 2 million passengers each month before COVID-19 led statewide stay-at-home orders in March 2020. That would lead to a drop in ridership by nearly 75% the following month.

Transit service was reduced at the start of the pandemic, but it was back to nearly 100% by the summer, SacRT Spokesperson Jessica Gonzalez said.

The buses and trains are still a lot emptier than normal, but SacRT said numbers are slowly trending upward.

Ridership last month was 34% above where it was in April 2020, according to SacRT. It seems to be rebounding better on the buses compared to the light rail.

In an effort to get more people back on board, SacRT is offering free rides on the Fourth of July or on any day for those on the way to a vaccine appointment. At the end of August, there are also plans to bring back electric buses for service from downtown Sacramento to the Sacramento International Airport.

Anyone riding public transportation is still required to wear masks, even those who are vaccinated.

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