Transit ridership is dynamic, responding to operational levels, perceived service conditions, marketing campaigns, and environmental impacts, such as COVID-19. COVID-19 resulted in most agencies experiencing dramatic decreases in ridership and recovery has been very slow. Transit ridership faces significant competition from the automobile focus in the United States. This can be seen in the media and is perpetuated by driver education classes and the perceived status associated with obtaining a license. Recent generations have been delaying obtaining their drivers’ licenses, which creates an opportunity for transit, however youth are not pivoting to transit in large numbers Transit agencies offer numerous short-term training opportunities, addressing high-level topics such as how to ride (board or alight); stay physically safe, particularly around rail transit; and read a schedule or map with the intention of attracting more riders but this has not been sufficient.. This qualitative study was an exploration of opportunities to incorporate diverse information about transit into the high school education curriculum. The purpose was to make transit interesting and engaging while disseminating practical information to attract more riders and build loyalty to the mode. The research questions explore how transit education can be embedded in curriculum to create a generations of transit users and build a culture of public transit ridership and what key policies are needed to support successfully developing transit loyalty. The study used a qualitative case study methodology involving semi-structured interviews with transit experts as well as educators and analysis of their input through categorization of their remarks to identify themes. This work clearly demonstrates that there is a systematic, productive methodology through embedded educational content to grow the understanding of transit and therefore the use of it as a viable transportation mode. The interviewees indicated merit in the concept and presented ideas for content to fit existing education standards. They also expressed ways in which the high school curricula could meet academic knowledge and skills. The study also indicated supportive policy areas such as investments in sidewalks or streetlighting, necessary to address for transit to succeed. Without a well-functioning complete system, including access to transit, education is insufficient to achieve greater ridership. The key finding indicates that the transit community and educators see great promise in this approach while also identifying the challenges to implementation.

INDEX WORDS: transit, education, ridership, curriculum, transportation, outreach, marketing, training, programs, high school students, policy