Statewide, monthly ridership dropped from 100 million in February 2019 to about 20 million in June 2020. As of June 2022, the numbers rebounded to about 60 million, but varied by region and transportation mode.

While exact 2026 statewide census data is still being finalized, current transportation trends indicate that roughly 3% to 5% of Californians use public transportation as their primary means of commuting to work. This percentage is significantly higher in dense urban centers; for example, in San Francisco, transit ridership for work commutes can exceed 30%, whereas in more sprawling regions like the Inland Empire or the Central Valley, it often drops below 1%. As of early 2026, total ridership across major agencies like BART, LA Metro, and SFMTA is still recovering toward pre-pandemic levels, with monthly unique users showing a steady 5-10% year-over-year increase. Factors such as the expansion of the LA Metro system ahead of major global sporting events and the push for high-speed rail development are slowly shifting these numbers. However, California remains a deeply car-dependent state, with over 75% of workers still choosing to "drive alone" to their jobs, a statistic that urban planners are working to change through increased density near transit hubs and improvements in service frequency.