Walker Transit, Walker County’s public transportation service, posted its best ridership numbers on record in 2023, rebounding from a ridership decline during the pandemic.
Transit drivers made 30,456 trips last year, an increase of more than 9% over 2022 and 65% from 2021 when human mobility started to resume following the COVID-19 pandemic. “Clients tell us they like our service because we are dependable, especially those who need to get to work or medical appointments on time,” said Amanda Shropshire, Walker Transit Director. “The transit department strives to provide great customer service.”
A large portion of the ridership growth came from the county’s Roper route, a designated line for Roper Corporation employees offering direct pick-up and drop-off locations throughout Walker County. Launched in 2021 as a workforce development solution for those without adequate transportation, ridership on this route grew nearly 41% in 2023, providing Roper employees with 3,644 trips to and from work.
Shropshire added population growth, greater awareness of transit services and more in person trips to visit the doctor also contributed to the increased ridership.
Walker Transit operates between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Reservations can be made by calling (706) 375-0803 at least one day prior to a trip. One-way transportation costs $4 per person.
Walker Transit trips – 2023 to 2017 | ||||||||||||||||
2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | ||||||||||
30,456 | 27,869 | 18,420 | 17,436 | 26,535 | 21,551 | 24,938 | ||||||||||