Word
ridership
Phoneticsrid·er·ship, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɹaɪdɝˌʃɪp/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the number of people who use buses, trains, or other public transport. You use it to talk about how busy a transport system is.
n. the total number of passengers using a public transport system over a given period; also the passengers themselves considered as a group.
Examples
“Bus ridership rises when fuel prices go up.”
“After the new subway line opened, daily ridership doubled within six months.”
“Although overall ridership recovered after the pandemic, off-peak travel grew faster than the traditional morning rush, forcing planners to rethink schedules.”
Examples
simple
“Bus ridership rises when fuel prices go up.”
contextual
“After the new subway line opened, daily ridership doubled within six months.”
complex
“Although overall ridership recovered after the pandemic, off-peak travel grew faster than the traditional morning rush, forcing planners to rethink schedules.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ridership” in context.
Verb
01. attract ridership
“High-speed rail projects are designed to attract ridership away from domestic flights.”
verb + noun
02. boost ridership
“The transit authority introduced free weekend passes to boost ridership.”
verb + noun
03. ridership grows
“As the city expands, ridership grows steadily every year.”
noun + verb
04. ridership peaks
“Daily ridership peaks between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. annual ridership
“Total annual ridership reached record levels following the fare reduction.”
adj + noun
06. declining ridership
“The city is struggling to address the issue of declining ridership on local buses.”
adj + noun
07. increased ridership
“The new subway line led to significantly increased ridership during peak hours.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. drop in ridership
“A sudden drop in ridership has caused a significant budget deficit.”
noun + prep + noun
09. growth in ridership
“The report highlighted a 10% growth in ridership over the last quarter.”
noun + prep + noun
10. drive a surge in ridership
“The opening of the new stadium helped drive a surge in ridership on the light rail.”
11. loss of passenger ridership
“The rail company is concerned about the long-term loss of passenger ridership.”
12. return to pre-pandemic ridership
“The network has yet to return to pre-pandemic ridership levels.”
Real-World Examples
“New federal data shows a sharp rise in light rail ridership, coinciding with the 2 Line opening across Lake Washington.” “Mark Olson, a spokesman for the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, said gas prices probably drove the 6.5 percent jump in ridership it experienced in March compared to the previous year.” “A new report from the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) found ridership grew from 1.21 billion in 2024 to nearly 1.3 billion riders in 2025, a 7.7% increase.” “MRT ridership climbed 2.29 per cent to 3.49 million daily trips in 2025 from 3.41 million in 2024 – an increase of roughly 78,000 trips a day.” Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/ridership