Who rides the bus in small cities in the U.S. Midwest?

Public transit systems in smaller urban areas in the U.S. have encountered pronounced declines in ridership since the mid-2010s, compounded by distinct challenges inherent to their scale and context. Despite this trend, understanding of the unique characteristics and needs of riders within such systems remains limited, as prevailing transit research predominantly focuses on larger metropolitan areas. Addressing this gap, our study examines the characteristics and needs of bus riders across four small urban areas in the U.S. Midwest through an on-board survey and subsequent rider typology analysis. We find that bus riders in these smaller communities are markedly economically disadvantaged compared to those in larger cities; 60 % live in households earning incomes at or below the poverty threshold, and over half lack access to a private vehicle. The low socioeconomic status of small-city transit riders results in a heavy reliance on public transportation, with nearly 90 % of respondents depending exclusively on buses or a mix of buses and active modes for daily travel. Such dependency brings to light the challenges that these individuals face, with more than 40 % experiencing severe disruptions like job loss or restricted access to essential services due to inadequate transportation options. Yet, the pressing need for improved service frequency and speed to increase the efficiency of public transit underscores a critical tension in transit network planning: that between providing frequent service and ensuring extensive coverage.