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Public Transit in Tennessee

Transit agencies based in Tennessee and what they reported to the 2025 National Transit Database

Transit agencies
27
Passenger trips (2025)
19.3 million
2.7 per resident
Vehicle revenue miles
41.2 million
Fare revenue
$25.5M
7.3% of operating costs

Monthly ridership

Passenger trips at Tennessee agencies that report every month, in millions

Show as a table
PeriodPassenger trips
Aug 20261.71 million
Dec 20251.45 million
Dec 20241.25 million
Dec 20231.32 million
Dec 20221.15 million
Dec 20211.03 million
Dec 20200.94 million
Dec 20191.72 million
Dec 20181.75 million
Dec 20171.81 million
Dec 20161.87 million

August 2026: 1.71 million trips (+10.3% vs. a year earlier).

Transit agencies in Tennessee

By passenger trips in 2025

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

AgencyTripsRevenue milesFare recovery
Metropolitan Transit AuthorityMadison · Bus, Demand Response9.09 million10 million6.4%
City of KnoxvilleKnoxville · Bus, Demand Response2.68 million3.3 million6.2%
City of Pigeon ForgePigeon Forge · Bus, Demand Response1.71 million408,68714.4%
Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation AuthorityChattanooga · Bus, Inclined Plane, Demand Response1.57 million2.52 million14.3%
City of GatlinburgGatlinburg · Bus794,907264,4420.4%
City of ClarksvilleClarksville · Bus, Demand Response515,7921.51 million6.8%
City of Johnson CityJohnson City · Bus, Demand Response419,132580,8308.5%
Upper-Cumberland Human Resource AgencyCookeville · Bus, Demand Response327,7352.88 million2.9%
Jackson Transit AuthorityJackson · Bus, Demand Response322,121642,6308.3%
East Tennessee Human Resource Agency, Inc.Knoxville · Demand Response, Bus248,1383.4 million17.9%
Regional Transportation AuthorityMadison · Commuter Rail, Commuter Bus, Vanpool224,500539,00510.2%
South Central Tennessee Development DistrictMt Pleasant · Demand Response, Bus189,1102.25 million3.9%
First Tennessee Human Resource AgencyJohnson City · Demand Response134,9332.29 million30.0%
Mid-Cumberland Human Resource AgencyNashville · Demand Response121,4871.63 million7.5%
Northwest Tennessee Human Resource AgencyMartin · Demand Response108,8281.55 million2.5%
City of MurfreesboroMurfreesboro · Bus107,392240,3402.0%
Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency-Rural DivisionDunlap · Demand Response, Bus106,1342.27 million3.1%
Knoxville-Knox County Community Action CommitteeKnoxville · Demand Response102,055959,44132.1%
Franklin Transit AuthorityFranklin · Bus, Demand Response98,502480,4252.7%
City of KingsportKingsport · Bus, Demand Response88,391285,8863.9%
Southwest Human Resource AgencyHenderson · Demand Response87,3141.3 million2.2%
Southeast Tennessee Human Resource AgencyDunlap · Bus, Demand Response76,547276,0881.8%
The Transportation Management Association GroupFranklin · Vanpool66,042809,34557.8%
City of Bristol TennesseeBristol · Bus, Demand Response42,745162,3991.7%
Delta Human Resource AgencyCovington · Demand Response26,427625,1423.8%

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest transit agency in Tennessee?
Metropolitan Transit Authority carried the most passengers among agencies based in Tennessee, with 9.09 million trips in 2025.
How many transit trips are taken in Tennessee?
Agencies based in Tennessee reported 19.3 million unlinked passenger trips in 2025, about 2.7 per resident.
Why is an agency missing ridership?
Small agencies that report through a state program, and agencies that started or stopped service, may have no service data for the year. Agencies are listed in the state of their headquarters even if they serve several states.

Source: Federal Transit Administration, National Transit Database · 2025 annual data, monthly data through August 2026