ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – ABQ Ride is using new technology to get information about riders, and it turns out numbers are up.

The transit department doesn’t have the best reputation. In fact, folks say no one takes the bus. But new data shows that’s far from the truth because ridership is at its highest since March 2020.

The transit department was able to see this thanks to some new tech.

“It helps us determine where we need service, where we don’t need so much service, where we might need luxuries, like shelters,” said Bobby Sisneros, deputy director of the Albuquerque Transit Department. 

They’re called Automatic Passenger Counters or APC and they are completely anonymous. 

“Now we can track each bus stop, and we can tell how many folks are boarding and alighting at certain bus stops, transit facilities, and that helps us plan more efficient routes,” said Sisneros. 

Sisneros says contrary to popular belief, new data shows ridership is up.

“It shows that we’re getting really close to pre-COVID numbers, the last two months haven’t been this high since March of 2020,” Sisneros said. 

APC also make things easier on transit employees, sending the data to the department wirelessly.

Since the 1960s, workers have been manually counting coins and passengers.

“That data collection process, it was old and clunky, and we literally had to people count through coins and dollar bills, and it was just a long process. Zero fares helped eliminate all that, so we no longer needed the fare box, but then it creates this concern of, how do we capture data?” said Sisneros.

You might think every bus needs an APC but they’re only in about half the current buses the city has.

“Statistically, it’s not necessary to put them on every single bus, we just need to draw a large enough sample and fall within 1% of that data collection to make it acceptable for the Federal Transportation Agency,” Sisneros said. 

The APC rollout also comes as the city recently unveiled new rules to ride, in hopes of curbing crime.

“We want you on our bus, but if you can’t behave, we’re going to have to ask you to leave. And we’ve had a positive response to that,” said Sisneros. 

ABQ Ride has been working with Metro Security, Albuquerque Community Safety and Albuquerque Police to enforce its rules.

“We’re not interested in a police state, but we’re interested in being able to provide services for individuals, and we’ve been training our officers,” said Sisneros. 

Sisneros pointed out these stats are coming as the department deals with staffing shortages and having to cut back on routes.

As they hire more people, they’ll be able to add back that service, which they’ll be able to know where more is needed through the APC data.