City bus patrons being taken for a ride

By PETE DONOHUE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER It's not just subway riders who are packed in like sardines. A report released Tuesday claims that NYC Transit has failed to match higher bus ridership with additional service - a claim transit officials vigorously rejected. According to the Straphangers Campaign report, average weekday bus ridership on local routes rose by more than 450,000 - 22% - over a decade-long stretch ending in September. During that time period, bus service - miles traveled by on-duty coaches - went up just 15%, according to the report. Approximately 2.5 million people ride local buses on an average weekday. "Crushed by crowds? Have to wait for more than one bus to go by? It's not your imagination, transit officials have never caught up to the waves of new bus riders," said Gene Russianoff, the advocacy group's... [read full story]