Hampton Roads Transit presented the findings of its 2023 origin-and-destination survey to the Newport News City Council on Jan. 14, showing that local bus service remains the dominant mode and that many Newport News riders depend on transit for work and basic needs.

The study, presented by Ray Amoruso, HRT chief planning and development officer, found that “77% of anybody who uses public transportation is on a local bus,” and that 64% of trips are home-to-work or work-to-home trips. Amoruso said the demographic of riders has shifted older since the pandemic: “the people that continue to use transit… are older demographic, 35 to 65.”

Why it matters: the data underline that frequent, reliable bus service and accessible stops are essential for residents who lack other mobility options. Amoruso noted 93% of riders walk to their nearest transit stop systemwide (91% for the region), and emphasized stop amenities and sidewalk access: “your experience in using transit doesn't begin on the bus… It begins when you're waiting for the bus.”

Key findings cited for Newport News and the HRT region included:
- Mode share: local buses carry the majority of riders; the presenter called the bus “the workhorse of this agency.”
- Trip purpose: 64% of trips are commuting to or from work; 36% are for other purposes such as shopping, medical appointments or recreation. Amoruso said the latter category has grown since 2016.
- Access to stops: about 93% of riders walk to stops; the system has roughly 2,810 bus stops across six member cities, and 561 stops have some passenger amenity.
- Household income and dependence on transit: across the region 40% of customers reported household incomes under $25,000; in Newport News that share was 43%. Amoruso said this aligns with usage frequency: “almost two thirds…and even higher in Newport News, that use our system 4 to 7 times per week.”
- Frequency effects: Amoruso highlighted ridership increases on high-frequency “backbone” routes: Route 112 on Jefferson (15-minute service since Nov. 2022) saw a 67% increase; Route 114 on Mercury Boulevard (May 2023) saw a 34% increase; and Route 20 on Virginia Beach Boulevard (Nov. 2023) saw a 38% increase. He summarized that “you give them frequency, more people will use it.” He noted the current limiting factor is available bus operators.

Amoruso also described data tools used for mapping origins and destinations by ZIP code and route, and offered to provide route-level reports to council members on request. Councilman Law asked specifically how increased frequency on the Jefferson backbone route affected ridership; Amoruso cited the 67% increase on Route 112.

The presentation included a technical note that the origin-and-destination survey supports Title VI analysis required by the Federal Transit Administration to ensure nondiscriminatory service outcomes.

Amoruso concluded by offering staff follow-up: route-level maps and analyses can be provided if council members contact HRT planning staff.

The presentation drew brief council questions about frequency and operator availability and did not include any formal council action or vote.