July proved to be a record-breaking month for the Midland-Odessa Urban Transit District (MOUTD). The organization reported that EZ-Rider fixed-route ridership last month jumped by 48%.
An August 15 Facebook post by the city of Midland stated that the 12,818 riders were more than 4,000 above July 2023 numbers and over 1,300 more than in May.
Citing the MOUTD, the post said that the previous four months of April, May, June, and July posted an average of about 11,000 people who traveled on fixed routes.
Permian Basin stations KMID News and KPEJ News reported that fixed-route ridership in Midland was up 18.4%, citing the latest MOUTD statistics.
According to the stations, paratransit ridership increased by about 13% year-over-year in Midland.
Funded by the Midland city government, EZ-Rider is the bus system used by both Midland and Odessa, the Permian Basin’s two largest cities.