After suffering a steep decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, public transportation ridership has been growing steadily over the past several years. ABQ Ride, the state’s largest public transport provider, counted 8 million rides given over 2025, an increase of 11% over 2023.
However, challenges remain. Many New Mexicans see public transportation as a dangerous option, with Denise Muniz Archibeque, an ABQ Ride driver complaining last year to City Council that “Drivers endure verbal abuse, threats, and frequent physical assaults,” and social media is replete with criticisms of the overall cleanliness and efficiency of the system.
This week on Let’s Talk New Mexico, we’ll be discussing what changes ABQ Ride and other public transportation options in the state are making to help New Mexicans get where they need to go, efficiently, safely and quickly.
And we want your thoughts, too. How do you feel about the public transit in your part of New Mexico? Do high gas prices have you thinking more about using transit? How often do you use it? How safe do you feel? And how could it be improved? Leave us a message and the link below, send us your thoughts at LetsTalk@KUNM.org, or call in live during the show, Thursday morning at 9.
Guests:
- Leslie Keener - Transit Director, ABQ Ride
- Andrew de Garmo - Principal Planner, ABQ Ride
- Andrew Baca- Director of Operations and Maintenance, Santa Fe Trails
- Robert Gonzales- Executive Director, Rio Metro
