Social events are enticing San Diegans to use public transit
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Plan a trip using San Diego's 62 trolley stations and nearly 100 bus routes. Photo: Courtesy of MTS
If it's been a while since you've hopped on a city bus, local organizers are hoping a beer will entice you.
Why it matters: Advocacy groups are trying to convince locals that just because we live in a sprawling, car-centric city doesn't mean driving is the only option, especially with more housing near transit on the horizon.
The latest: Dozens of people went on a bus-powered pub crawl along Adams Avenue last weekend, an event aimed at boosting ridership in uptown neighborhoods.
- Ride SD and the University Heights Community Association hosted.
- Riders learned about routes, fares, the Pronto app and how to pay while hopping on and off the MTS Bus 11 between drinks at local bars.
The intrigue: Organizer and UHCA board member Lauren Doucette wants to make public transit "sexy."
- Her goal: inspire people to think differently about getting around as University Heights sees more high-density housing and high-rise developments with limited parking.
- There's a misconception that only people without cars or unhoused people take public transit and local buses are dirty and unpleasant, she told Axios.
- "We're hoping to negate that, show that it can be for every type of person … and how fun it can be," Doucette said.
Zoom out: The crawl is one of many local events Ride SD has co-hosted over the past few years to help people shift their mindset from needing to drive everywhere, events manager Leif Gensert told Axios.
Some other popular events:
- 🥾 Trains & Trails hikes along trolley lines
- 🍦 Bus-powered ice cream and pizza tours
- 🍻 Trivia nights and happy hours at breweries
Reality check: The lack of connection between where people live and where people work remains a big challenge for public transit accessibility, Gensert said.
- It takes 20-30 minutes to drive from North Park to Sorrento Valley versus one to two hours by bus.
Yes, but: Riding the bus or trolley to go out or run errands is feasible, especially in neighborhoods like Hillcrest, Bankers Hill and North Park that have lots of routes and stops.
By the numbers: Metropolitan Transit System ridership increased 7% last year with the highest annual trip total on buses and the trolley since 2019.
- The boost on the trolley was driven by events at Petco Park and Snapdragon Stadium, where fans don't want to deal with expensive and limited parking.
- Still, MTS is facing multimillion-dollar budget deficits and plans to increase fares 30%.
The bottom line: San Diego's public transportation infrastructure won't change overnight, but these events can boost ridership and awareness about how to get around.