Public transit use in Rapid City continued its upward climb in 2025, with both overall ridership and youth participation seeing significant increases, according to the Rapid Transit System’s newly released annual report.
RTS recorded 273,851 passenger trips last year across its Rapid Ride and Dial‑A‑Ride services — a 6% increase from 2024 and a 13% jump from 2023. Compared to 2021, ridership is up nearly 82,000 trips, marking a 30% rise over four years.
“It was a very busy year all the way around,” RTS Manager Megan Gould said. “More people are realizing the benefits of public transit in Rapid City and its importance in providing convenient transportation options for work, school, entertainment and just getting around town.”
December alone saw 19,792 passenger trips.
Youth ridership also continued to surge under the city’s Youth Ride Free program. The initiative logged 66,661 youth trips in 2025 — up 8% from 2024 and 22% from 2023. Compared to 2021, youth ridership has grown by 45%, with 30,000 more trips recorded. December accounted for 5,440 of those youth rides.
RTS has provided public transportation in Rapid City for more than three decades.
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