Ridership is down 79% nationally compared to pre-pandemic rates. So transit agencies in Silicon Valley, Atlanta, and beyond are getting creative. The pandemic has been devastating for public transit. According to the American Public Transportation Association, transit ridership in 2020 was down 79% nationally compared to pre-pandemic rates. And though no public transit agencies in the United States get all their revenue from ridership alone, the shortfall of riders is putting many transit agencies in a bind.