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The monorail is one of Las Vegas’ mass transportation options. Transit ridership in the valley is fairly high, especially compared to other cities of similar size.
By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
Monday, July 18, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Sun coverage
Las Vegans sometimes lament the city's lack of world-class mass-transit offerings. Yes, the Regional Transportation Commission has spent millions in the past few years buying shiny buses and offering express routes.
Still, residents and tourists often ask: Where's our light rail and commuter trains?
Many locals would say the monorail doesn’t count, and the idea of a possible high-speed rail line to Victorville, Calif., doesn’t excite them either.
So how does Las Vegas' current transit offerings compare with other cities our size? It turns out it's not so bad, at least based on passenger numbers.
And no, it isn't just tourists on the Strip: The commission says less than a quarter of its systemwide passengers are tourists.
Plus, McCarran International Airport is one of the busiest in the world, serving more than 39 million passengers last year, more than any airport in similar cities except Denver.
Here’s a look at how Las Vegas and the 10 closest-sized cities compare in transportation use, based on the most recent data available from the National Transit Database and from individual airports:
Photo by Justin M. Bowen
Las Vegas
The Regional Transportation Commission provided 66,100,239 unlinked bus trips while McCarran had 39,757,359 departing and arriving passengers and the Las Vegas Monorail served 5,240,263 passengers.
/AP
Nashville, Tenn.
The Nashville region has two bus operators, which provided a combined 10,259,654 bus trips, far less than Las Vegas' 66 million. The Regional Transportation Authority also provided 23,114 trips on its Music City Star commuter rail line, less than the 5 million monorail passengers here. The Nashville International Airport served 8,961,164 passengers, while McCarran had 39.8 million.
/AP
Denver
If you want Las Vegas to look good, don't compare it with Denver. Colorado residents are known for being active: walking, biking and apparently using mass transit. The Denver Regional Transportation District provided 77,222,047 bus trips — 11 million more than Las Vegas — and 19,759,388 light rail trips — compared with the monorail's 5 million. Denver International Airport is the fifth busiest in the nation, with 52,211,242 passengers, while McCarran is the eighth busiest in the nation, with 39.8 million.
/AP
Louisville, Ky.
Here's a city that puts Las Vegas' transit numbers in a good light: Louisville's Transit Authority of River City provided 15,520,760 bus trips for the year — less than a quarter of Las Vegas' trip count. The Louisville International Airport served 3,349,162 passengers while McCarran had 39.8 million, but Louisville is a major cargo hub, unlike McCarran.
/AP
Milwaukee
There are four bus operators in the region, but Milwaukee still didn't reach Las Vegas' bus trip count of 66 million; it had a combined bus trip count of 48,198,206. The General Mitchell International Airport counted 9,848,377 passengers compared with McCarran's 39.8 million.
/AP
Portland, Ore.
Portland is another city that uses a lot of mass transit, and one of the city's top priorities is to operate an efficient transportation system, according to its website. The region's three bus systems reported a combined 74,529,091 trips, about 8 million more than Las Vegas, plus the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District provided 39,306,691 light rail trips and 123,634 commuter rail trips while the monorail had just 5 million passengers. Our airport, however, is busier: The Portland International Airport served 13,192,857 passengers last year while McCarran had 39.8 million.
/AP
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Although of this list, it's the closest to Las Vegas in terms of population within the city limits, Oklahoma City's transit use pales in comparison with Las Vegas. The Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority provided 2,684,087 bus trips, a fraction of Las Vegas' 66 million. The Will Rogers World Airport served 3,466,127 passengers in 2010, less than McCarran's 39.8 million.
/AP
Albuquerque
Albuquerque's bus lines don't have high ridership numbers, but the city does have a train line connecting it to Santa Fe. The region's main bus service provided 10,760,389 bus trips (compared with Las Vegas' 66 million) and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express provided 1,083,003 train trips (the monorail had 5 million). The Albuquerque International Sunport had 5,796,373 passengers, whereas McCarran had 39.8 million.
/AP
Tucson
Unlike Las Vegas, Tucson has a light rail system in the works. It has bus service only, which provided 21,575,374 trips, less than Las Vegas' 66 million. The Tucson International Airport served 3,740,675 passengers in 2010, while McCarran had 39.8 million.
/AP
Fresno
Although not far away, Fresno's transit use also makes Las Vegas look good. The Fresno Area Express reported 14,062,016 bus trips, less than a quarter of Las Vegas' trips. And unlike McCarran, which offers easy access to the Strip for its 39.8 million passengers, visitors headed to the tourist zone still have an hour drive to get to Yosemite from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, which served 1,183,282 passengers last year.
/AP
Sacramento
Although Sacramento doesn't have bus service numbers as high as Las Vegas, the city does offer a light rail system to connect with the suburbs. The combined trip count for the Sacramento area bus systems was 22,169,782 — about a third of Las Vegas' count — but the Sacramento Regional Transit District said it had 17,315,0717 light rail trips, while the monorail had 5 million passengers. The Sacramento International Airport had 8,849,711 passengers, compared with McCarran's 39.8 million.
Our monorail has even 5 million passengers per year? Hope these people come back after the bad experience.
Meanwhile, we can presume the people using our bus system are not riding for the thrill of it. I'll surmise that they are going back and forth to work or school. Still, I would like to know they economic efficiency (or lack thereof) of our bus system, i.e., how much it costs the community vs. how much productivity would be lost and social cost incurred should bus riders lose this source of transportation. I'm guessing it's still better for the community to subsidize this. But I let's have the cold, hard numbers. I've been persuaded out of backing any light rail project. (Though if the local political will to add airport and Downtown spurs to the present MonoFail could be mustered, I'm still behind that.)
Unless it has changed since I left, when living there, I found the pubic bus system to be lacking. It seemed they had needed routes, ie from North Las Vegas to downtown, but the frequency wasn't there. If I had to or wanted to take the bus to work, I would have had to leave no later than 5:45-6:00 in the morning to meet the schedules of the buses I needed to take to get downtown by 8:00. IF you missed the first bus, you were out of luck since the next one was not scheduled to come until 2 hrs later.
On the upside, the buses I would see were always filled with people so people DID take the bus all the time.
Las Vegasians have good connections, what's the problem ? Don't enjoy traveling by bus. You can count yourself lucky that/when you don't have an uncooperative boss waiting for your arrival.
Your cooperative traveling businesses should be seen fair and square as part of the small business sector.
The slideshow format used to present comparisons between Las Vegas and various other cities, including relevant pictures, is a nice touch. Kudos to the Sun staff.
One question though: what is the definition of an 'unlinked bus trip'?
RTC should be commended. Ten years ago the system was a mess but not any longer.
Las Vegas has a ground transportation system that is very good.
What it lacks is a completed monorail system from the airport to downtown.
This needs to be done. The casinos also need to make is faster and easier to get to the monorail.
NathanHale:
Here's the National Transit Database's definition of unlinked passenger trip: "The number of passengers who board public transportation vehicles. Passengers are counted each time they board vehicles no matter how many vehicles they use to travel from their origin to their destination."
So it's two bus trips if I ride the bus to work in the morning then ride it home in the evening, but if I ride the bus and transfer to another bus it only counts as one trip.
Where's our light rail and commuter trains? Ask the citizens of Henderson. Several years ago, a proposal was put forth to use the UPRR Boulder Cutoff line and the main line to run a light rail service from downtown Henderson and possibly Boulder City to Downtown Las Vegas with a spur thru the airport tunnel to serve McCarran (the tunnel was constructed with a center section for such a purpose.) But all the High-class folks living near the rail line through Green Valley screamed and yelled and complained until the RTC took the proposal off the drawing board. They acted similarly when a Henderson Transit Center was proposed near CSN's Henderson Campus. Since all these fine residents of Henderson object so much to public transportation improvements, I say that the RTC ought to shut down all the bus routes travelling through Henderson at their city limits. Have the Boulder City route skip right on through without stopping until it hits unincorporated Clark County, and the same with any routes that cross any of their "turf." Payback's a you-know-what. People in this part of the country need to get rid of their elitist attitudes about public transportation and recognize its value to every community and every member of the community.
Unfortunatly,this is the west and public transit is not really apart of the coulture like it is back east. If you ever had to wait in over 100 degree heat for a bus to travel, it's nuts. Also what takes 10 minutes by car can take 1 to 2 hours by bus to get back and forth. It's discouraging. It's something to get back and forth; but, not the best way to travel in this city. And sometimes, not the safest. As for the monorail, it's busy? really? I've never seen it used very much. It's our boondogle of a money pit to me. WE, as tax payers(I own property) pay for that thing to keep paying a few, who had state government connections, millions. Want to cut the budget, look there. Place some of that money into good public transit and maybe people will come here & maybe we can get jobs that are located at the outskirts of the city where businesses scream for help and people don't go. It's because of gas prices and no bus service. It's too far out.
Positive word of mouth is simply the best way to get more people to ride the RTC. I've looked forward to the Boulder Hwy Express coming online (but will miss the convenience of the 402 route). I am happy the RTC added texting 41411 for bus arrival times. Yes 100 + degree heat can be brutal but I'm staying on the bus. $65 a month instead of $35+ a week (not counting other car costs) makes it worth it. Driving to work used to take me 35 minutes. Using the bus takes slightly more but I can text, talk on the phone and not endanger other motorists. I don't see pumping taxpayer money into a lightrail or commuter train until the RTC makes the profit it needs to add more routes and expand their Express program. As to safety: I feel safer waiting for the bus to come and riding the bus than I did being in a car with the inconsiderate, texting, talking on the phone, putting on makeup, uninsured motorists I had to watch out for. Yes those motorists are still there but if they hit the bus - it's not my paperwork.
I would probably take the busses more often, but since RTC feels that they are unsafe, I will have to pass. The last few bus trips I made had an ARMED (yes, gun tottin') security guard on board. I just have to surmise that RTC feels the need to have guns on the busses to maintain order.
I could understand security, but armed? Come on..how much extra is RTC paying for those Aiiled Barton guns?
FRM,
Armed security on the buses? "Aiiled Barton" (Halliburton??) ??? Have never heard THAT one. I've had limited experience with RTC buses, but know people at work who use it daily. Your experience sounds rare.
To DTJ
Check out any of the so called express routes. I was on a 202 (Flamingo...east bound) and it had two armed security in the middle of the day. The MAX bus (Las Vegas Blvd ) always has an armed security guard. Check with RTC..you'll see that they employ many, many, many, many ARMED security guards for their bus services. I question as to why they need ARMED security on busses. The obvious conclusion is that RTC feels that their busses are unsafe.
This was a rather stupid article for a meaningful topic. The comparisons to other cities unequal in tourism levels, geography, weather and residency is pointless and misleading.
As usual in these articles regardless of location it does not take into account the layout of the city or the age of the town. For example a recent comparison to Boston which again was designed for horseback, walking, and carriages. Not cars, freeways, wide roads, nor was it built up around a sea port.
Not to dismiss the importance of the buses, I have lived in many places where they were effective and reasonable and well managed.
One of my brothers drove for the transit system including the old CAT for many years. He was shot at 3 time, robed twice, broke up several gang fights and cat fights among riders, he dealt with drunks vomiting on the bus and drug users, hookers trying to do quick tricks in the back of the bus and all kinds of other nonsense.
Sure makes me want to ride public transportation, it takes longer than driving, I still have to be out in the heat and get to my destination a sweaty mess, I can't control the temperature, the foul people I may have to sit next to or stand next to, and I can't come and go as I please and on my own schedule wasting time running my life around the bus schedule. It's these and other reasons that make many people not want to use public transport.
When I can beam from my house to wherever I need to go then I'll use it with great enthusiasm.
Until then I will continue to avoid the socialist form of mass manipulation and discomfort best saved for the young and poor. I'm not disrespecting those groups, I've been both several times but given the choice and the freedom I will always choose my own transportation under my control and used to go where and when I want to go in the comfort level I choose, not someone else's ideas of what I should experience.
Interesting article and seems to do a good job of comparing the use of the city bus. However, one glaring point is cities with a somewhat effective rail system use it abundently, and those that do not have rail are trying to develop it.
In my humble opinion Fresno is not a good example as that area has been mainly ranch and farm, not really city. Fresno has been developing more in the last several years, but it still does not compare to other areas. I would argue an area like Sacramento is a better comparison do to population growth comparison.
Vegas NEEDS light rail, there is no detracting from that. If the city wants to increase economic growth beyond just tourism and sustain that it needs to provide a more efficient, rapid, and safe means of communte/transport. Of course if all you really have is city bus it will be used, so the numbers are skewed. The monorail is extremely limited in where it goes and the times it operates, yet it is obviously used a lot. Just taking that number and expanding the area of transit coverage a person could then argue through proper planning and implementation, just increasing the rail transit area could realize a comperable increase in patronage. In other words, if use is 5 million today, double the area of rail coverage (wisely) and use will also double (10 million).
I would even argue that if done wisely, there would be a reduction in transit related accidents/fatalities; a reduction in pedestrian involved incidents, a greater ability to recruit the targetted labor, increase in home value, and a growth in non-tourist industry, reduction of polution, increase in new business, increased university attendance, and the ability for Vegas to better demonstrate a "City of the Future" to the world (just to name a few).
No, light rail won't fix everything, but just the related job growth by planing and building it is worth consideration. The project could also end up creating a whole new era of growth if the trains were built here. What knowledge we don't have we can import, we have a state of the art university to train and develop, and a huge work force that is eager to work. The ultimate "big picture" is mind boggling...it just takes the first steps.
The type of buses are very poorly planned. Traffic is so congested on the Strip that the double-deckers do well, but following right behind them are double busses that take up way too much real estate on the crowded Strip. They are not a help. Keep them off the Strip. I dont understand why the planners can't see this, it just does not make sense. I am sure they have their statistics but reality has eluded them.
FRM,
Wow. Didn't know that.