Ridership on the Chicago Transit Authority's trains in 2011 was at its highest level in 20 years, the agency said earlier this month.
In 2011, CTA provided 531,960,253 rides, topping 2010's total of 516,891,783. The 2011 total is the highest number since 1991, when more than 540 million rides were recorded.
"The growth in 2011 ridership shows that the CTA is an increasingly integral part people’s daily lives and emphasizes that there is a real and growing demand for public transit in the city and the suburbs," said CTA President Forrest Claypool.
Claypool said that while the more than three percent growth can be attributed to the higher gas prices, improvements and investments the agency has taken make public transit "an even more convenient and attractive option."
