This September, Formentera welcomes return of public bus ridership to pre-pandemic levels

foto 2022ix autobus AToday the Formentera Office of Mobility seized the opportunity of World Car-Free Day and Sustainable Mobility Week to report on rebounding levels of public bus ridership in the first half of September 2022. During the first fortnight of the month, the island registered 17,399 riders, 0.5% more than the same period two years earlier, before the pandemic. The increase was 25% compared to data for the same two-week period in 2021, when local buses logged 13,924 riders.
 
According to Rafael González, councillor of mobility, after two years of dwindling ridership, 2022 has come with a renewed impulse and figures similar to those registered before the pandemic. "We've seen a full-on recovery for two reasons: formentera.eco rules concerning vehicles brought and driven on the island, which remained in effect, and discounts for users of public transport", said the councillor.

Including residents and minors, 4,231 people enjoyed free public transport in the first half of September 2022. During the same period in 2019, 200 visitors bought one-day or 20-trip passes. This year the number of visitors who bought such multi-ride passes was 1,308, an increase of 6.5%.

Riders in August
Ridership this August totalled 39,745, a 2% decrease on figures from three years ago. However, compared to 2021, when local buses logged 33,059 riders, ridership was up 20%.

Councillor González expects the number of bus riders to continue rising and encourages islanders and visitors alike "to use public transport by bus, a sustainable way to get around the island".

22 September 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera