[Rescue Muni] Re: Muni usage estimates

Andrew Sullivan (andrew@sulli.org)
Sat, 6 Feb 99 18:17:39 -0800

Donald wrote:

>
>Also, I don't buy the "rule of thumb". Everyone I know who rides MUNI
>almost always takes one route in two directions -- that is, two
>boardings per person per day, not the assumed three.

Neither do I. SF's large population of *mixed* users would best be
estimated at less than 1 per day, since non-Muni days would be spent in a
car, on a bike, or on foot.

Using Muni's Facts and Figures from last year:

weekday boardings = 682,000

SF population = 750,000 (including kids)

.33 * 750K = 250K transit-only users (also mixed users)
250K transit-only users * 2 boardings/day = 500K boardings, approximately.

That leaves 182K "mixed" boardings.

182K mixed boardings / 250K mixed users = 0.73 boardings/day, or 3.6
/week.

So the typical "mixed" user rides slightly less than two weekdays per
week, which sounds about right given the experience of the many friends
of mine who only occasionally use the system.

Andrew

Andrew Sullivan

s u l l i . o r g andrew@sulli.org - www.sulli.org

1668 Grove, SF CA 94117 - 415 673 0626