Dover, NH – During the week before the Labor Day long weekend, COAST fixed route bus ridership was the strongest it had been since early March.

Between Monday and Friday, greater than 9% more trips were taken on COAST’s 13 different bus routes over the previous week (the previous high since March). On Saturday, greater than 28% more trips were taken on COAST’s buses over the previous high for a Saturday since early March. All told, ridership on the region’s public transit system was up nearly 17% for the week.

“After seeing a leveling off of ridership through August, we are very happy with the growth in ridership that we saw last week,” commented Rad Nichols. “Our public transit services fulfill a critical need in the region and are highly valued by our passengers who need a safe, affordable and efficient way to access jobs, doctor’s appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, and for their other necessary trips.”

Following up on their previous strong week of ridership, on Tuesday, September 8 COAST also offered free rides for any passengers wishing to go and vote at their local polling place. While the transit system does not provide transport to each individual polling station, this policy helps voters get to the nearest bus stop to their polls by offering a free ride to everyone who is voting!

Passengers simply tell their driver that they are on their way to vote, or on their way back from voting, and by the honor system they will not be charged for their ride. Ridership on Tuesday was the highest of any day at COAST since mid-March , an 18% increase from an average Tuesday over the previous month.

“We encourage everyone to take part in the privilege of voting,” stated Dave Sandmann, COAST Board Chair. “If our free ride policy on statewide election days mean more of our passengers vote, then we couldn’t be happier. Voting is a civic duty that every single one of us should actively participate in.”

The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation (COAST) has provided public transit service to the Seacoast New Hampshire region since 1982. COAST is a non-profit agency, operating a regional public transit system that relies primarily on federal and local government support to operate. COAST is governed by a board of directors representing the communities served, two regional planning commissions, and many local and state agencies. COAST’s vision is to be an innovative leader in providing a broad range of public transportation services, connecting, and coordinating a robust network of transportation options for everyone.