TriMet reported today that MAX and bus boardings grew 3.6% in November 2008 compared to November 2007.

The news release includes the following statistics:

• Weekday bus trips increased 6.6% to 215,400 trips
• Rush hour bus trips increased 12.3% to 77,000
• Weekly MAX ridership remained constant

Thanks to all of the SmartTrips Downtown participants who are using transit and reducing congestion and global warming pollution!

Remember, when you ride TriMet after 8:00 p.m. you can request that the bus stop anywhere along the route. Just be sure to give the driver sufficient warning.

Do you want to see what your commute would look like using transit? For TriMet, click here. For C-Tran in SW Washington, click here.

What happens when you combine a transit authority with hip hop? It turns out an infectious public service announcement encouraging and teaching all to bring their bikes on transit.

The director of marketing for Louisville, Kentucky's Transit Authority of River City (TARC), learned from survey results that young women were interested in bringing their bikes on transit but were intimidated and unsure on how to use the bus bike racks.

The director, Nina Walfoort, found inspiration from her daughter's collection of rap and R & B.

Since the video aired, transit ridership among cyclists has increased and many mild mannered viewers have reported to have spontaneously erupted in dance. Viewer beware!

Do Portlanders bike more than any other big city dwellers? Does the number of cyclists continue to increase? Are more people wearing bike helmets than ever? Are more women riding?

Yes, yes, yes and yes.

The Portland Office of Transportation recently published its annual bicycle counts report. These are conducted each year. In 2008, the entire city witnessed a staggering 28% increase in bike trips.

Bicycle trips across the Hawthrone, Steel, Broadway, and Burnside Bridges from 1991 - 2008.

The bike counts are conducted by automated "hose counts" on the four bike-friendly bridges (Hawthorne, Burnside, Steel and Broadway) and by staff and volunteers at over 65 intersections throughout Portland.

Some of the highlights:

• Bicycle traffic has nearly tripled since 2001;
• Helmet use is at an all-time high (80%);
• Women cyclists are also at an all time high (32%);