NFL draft drove a surge in transit use

By the numbers: The three-day ridership total represented a 51% increase compared to the average ridership for two typical weekdays and one Saturday in March, per PRT.

• Nearly 60,000 rides were logged on the Football Flyer buses, which were created to ferry suburban riders directly to the draft.
• Friday, April 24, was the high-water mark, when over 188,000 rides were taken.

Follow the money: The Football Flyer bus routes, the light-rail lines, and the Monongahela Incline were free to ride during the draft thanks to corporate sponsorship and philanthropic support.

• The draft generated more than $1.2 million in new revenue for PRT through advertising, sponsorships, and partnerships, according to a press release.

The bottom line: "PRT helped make the draft accessible to everyone," said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.