RAPID (Municpal Area Mass Transit)

The RAPID is the public transportation provider for Grand Rapids and several surrounding communities. The RAPID was created from GRATA in 2001. In the year 2001 GRATA/RAPID carried just over five million passengers. Ridership remain fairly level until 2005 when it began a steady increase and in 2014 ridership is more than twice GRATA's highest count. Not including DASH parking shuttles and other secondary routes the RAPID provides service to 1,615 stops throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.

Passenger Fair: $1.75, includes transfer to other fixed routes and BRT. DASH parking shuttles are free. A variety of passes and ride cards are available.

Trivia: The Rapid's service area is 155 square miles.

Help

The RAPID provides a travel trainer program to assist user's unfamiliar with the RAPID or use of public transit.

Ridership

The RAPID reports annual ridership based upon a fiscal year of October 1st - September 30th.

Ridership Per Month

Year January February March April May June July August September October November December Total (Fiscal) Total (Calendar)
2011 952,674 920,400 1,005,556 920,688 660,084 647,709 576,604 713,923 1,130,480 1,137,949 1,045,671 804,439 7,528,118 10,516,177
2012 1,074,431 1,117,127 1,042,216 964,365 758,156 725,949 709,087 847,234 1,209,401 1,376,434 1,135,498 829,276 10,676,447 11,789,174
2013 1,137,078 1,122,435 1,064,073 1,060,784 790,918 683,701 678,317 853,386 1,307,179 1,414,862 1,113,642 845,435 12,039,079 12,071,810
2014 1,016,907 1,117,405 1,090,486 1,065,375 792,289 716,465 726,140 840,672 1,325,588 1,429,006 1,033,679 893,807 12,065,266 12,047,819
2015 1,094,188 1,050,870 1,068,474 984,729 724,949 693,752 667,785 683,918 1,194,756 1,251,480 1,022,264 885,653 11,519,913 11,322,818
2016 963,801 1,082,978 1,041,754 968,126 702,722 670,774 573,392 739,381 1,132,379 1,165,547 1,024,367 811,286 11,034,704 10,876,507
2017 979,670 1,017,380 1,012,151 909,247 695,218 644,192 549,261 719,517 1,049,968 1,100,064 954,719 727,043 10,577,804 10,358,430
2018 927,969 933,373 921,272 864,911 683,775 612,116 567,335 751,190 1032971 1,147,287 942,128 730,231 10,076,738 10,114,558
2019 820,397 893,035 917427 937,439 710,128 605,927 630,318 749,735 1,009,075 1,088,772 894,768 733,370 10,093,127 9,990,391
2020 954,571 943,782 497509 112,079 129,598 240,825 266,449 268,696 350,143 370,029 288,873 239,689 6,480,562 4,662,243
2021 275,326 334,823 379117 338,709 270,265 288,209 287,250 335,124 513,178 488,900 458,036 385,352 3,920,592 4,354,289
2022 423,667 450,227 501531 455,028 388,201 366,465 341,183 420,647 587,539 573,573 501,321 418,672 5,266,776 5,428,054
2023 537,255 500,538 550,005 511,134 450,113 407,283 357,157 441,819 561,585 645,274 554,096 458,968 5,810,455 5,975,227

As of 2022-01 we have switched from using ridership numbers published by the RAPID to those recorded on the NTB (National Transportation Database). The Rapid (Interurban Transit Partnership) is NTD system ID#50033; we sum directly operated (DO) modes for motor-bus (MB) and rapid-bus (RB). These numbers do not include paratransit, van pool, demand-response, and other riders. Those riders are important, but those modes and services are essentially distinct from fixed-route transit service, many other factors [and regulations] apply to both their operation and their definition of success.

Ridership Changes Per Month

Year January February March April May June July August September October November December Total
2012 vs 2011 - - - - - - - - - +455,746 +475,414 +181,567 -
2013 vs 2012 +62,647 +5,308 +21,857 +96,419 +32,762 -42,248 -30,770 +6,152 +97,778 +38,428 -21,856 +16,159 +282,636
2014 vs 2013 -120,171 -5,030 +26,413 +4,591 +1,371 +32,764 +47,823 -12,714 +18,409 +14,144 -79,963 +48,372 -23,991
2015 vs 2014 +77,281 -66,535 -22,012 -80,646 -67,340 -22,713 -726,140 -156,754 -130,832 -177,526 -11,415 -8,154 -1,392,786
2016 vs 2015 -130,387 +32,108 -26,720 -16,603 -22,227 -22,978 -94,393 +55,463 -62,377 -85,933 +2,103 -74,367 -371,944
2017 vs 2016 +15,869 -65,598 -29,603 -58,879 -7,504 -26,582 -24,131 -19,864 -82,411 -65,483 -69,648 -84,243 -456,900
2018 vs 2017 -51,701 -84,007 -90,879 -44,336 -11,443 -32,076 +18,074 +31,673 -16,997 +47,223 -12,591 +3,188 -501,066
2019 vs 2018 -107,572 -40,338 -3,845 +72,528 +26,353 -6,189 +62,983 -1,455 -23,896 -58,515 -47,360 +3,139 +16,389
2020 vs 2019 +134,174 +50,747 -419,918 -825,360 -580,530 -365,102 -363,869 -481,039 -658,932 -718,743 -605,895 -493,681 -3,612,565
2021 vs 2020 -679,245 -608,959 -118,392 +226,630 +140,667 +47,384 +20,801 +66,428 +163,035 +118,871 +169,163 +145,663 -2,559,970
2022 vs 2021 +148,341 +115,404 +122,414 +116,319 +117,936 +78,256 +53,933 +85,523 +74,361 +84,673 +43,285 +33,320 +1,346,184
2023 vs 2022 +113,588 +50,311 +48,474 +56,106 +61,912 +40,818 +15,974 +21,172 -25,954 +71,701 +52,775 +40,296 +543,679
  • Extreme weather in January 2014 accounted for a significant dip in ridership during that period; this dip can be seen in ridership data of multiple modes on nearly all systems across the nation.
  • During January 2016 GVSU and GRPS were closed four days due to weather; in comparison to 2015 with only one closure.
  • Ridership in January 2019 (2019-01) was significantly impacted by severe weather; schools were closed for several days in the second half of the month and employers, including Spectrum Health, operated on essential personnel only.
  • DASH service was suspected during the pandemic (2020) and never resumed full operation. DASH service was replaced with "DASH v3.0" in May of 2023, without operation on Monday or Tuesday.
  • Service was dramatically curtailed during the pandemic 2020 - 2021, with most service restored in the late 2021 with the "Mobility4All" schedule. In March of 2023 the Rapid operated ~86% of the operating hours it operated prior to the pandemic.
  • Service was cut back, particularly during the AM weekday period, again in January of 2024 citing a lack of operators. End of 2023 vs. beginning of 2024 frequencies are illustrated here

Documents

News

Time-line of service changes (since 2010)

  • January 2012: Extended weekday hours of operation until 11:15 or 12:15 on the busiest routes.
  • January 2012: Extended Saturday operation until 10:00pm on Saturdays.
  • January 2012: Regular frequency improved on busiest rounds to a minimum of every 30 minutes.
  • August 2012: Six routes improved to a minimum frequency of 15 minutes during peak hours.
  • August 2012: Creation of the new fixed-route RAPID#19 [weekday only] servicing Michigan St and Fuller to Hall St.
  • August 2014: The launch of the SilverLine BRT.
  • Fall 2014: Availability of real time stop information and integration with mobile transit applications such as TransitApp.
  • January 2016: Extension of route 28 into Cascade
  • May 2016: Additional trip added to RAPID#5 and RAPID#17. Additional trip on RAPID#17 is an express to the Gerald R. Ford International airport.
  • September 2016:
    • DASH lines consolidate to two routes with consistent hours-of-operation and 7-8 minute headways.
    • SilverLine now fareless within the park-once downtown zone
    • The cheapest monthly parking pass is now finally more expensive than a 31 day transit pass.
    • RAPID#19 converts to a rush-hour crosstown connector on the Michigan St. corridor.
  • August 2017: Routing changes to RAPID#15, RAPID#37, & RAPID#48.
  • November 2018 - WAVE pilot test begins.
  • June 2018: Enhanced RAPID#19 service will begin in August, 2018
  • August 2018:
    • WAVE electronic fare payment system goes live (Tuesday, August 14th)
    • DASH gets weekend and late-night service.
    • Weekday frequent & fair-free RAPID#19 Michigan St / Bridge St. Crosstown launches.
  • Lockdown 2020 :(
    • RAPID#19 (Michigan St / Bridge St crosstown) service canceled.
    • Late night service on the DASH canceled.
    • Numerous peak service frequencies reduced.
    • Overall reduction of operating hours.
      • May 2020:
    • The new "summer schedule" in response to COVID19
  • August 2020
  • August 2021
  • August 2022
    • Service in Byron Center terminated.
  • November 2022
    • Announced: Offboard fare payment on the Silverline will be eliminated, fares will now be paid onboard the bus. This includes the installation of dwell time inducing cash fare payment machines.
  • December 2022
    • Partnership with Transit app, free upgrade to the Royale service level for riders.
  • April 2023
    • Contactless payment using debit & credit cards added to Wave payment system.
  • May 2023
    • Route #8 (Prairie/Rivertown) adds twice weekday extensions to serve Michigan Turkey Producers
  • August 2023
    • Route #29 will shutdown after contract with Cascade township expires. Route #5 extended to service the stops which were on that route within Kentwood.
    • New route #33 provides an express service from central station to Walker, utilizing the US-131 expressway. Service will run every 30 minutes 5:45am - 10:45am & 1:45pm - 6:45pm beginning August 28th at 9am.
  • December 2023
    • Service will be cut back, particularly during the AM weekday period, beginning January 1st of 2024. End of 2023 vs. beginning of 2024 frequencies are illustrated here