PITTSFIELD — The county’s public bus service saw its highest-ever ridership numbers in fiscal year 2026, spurred on by state funding that has made it possible to provide fare-free rides to passengers.

The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority’s bus service saw a total ridership of 731,444 in fiscal 2026. That number includes every individual trip taken on regular bus routes, as well as paratransit trips provided for people with mobility issues.

It was the first fiscal year where bus rides were made free for all 12 months through an allocation in the governor’s budget. Free fares were previously offered for eight months in fiscal 2025.

“Fare-free in our area is really crucial,” said operations manager Benjamin Hansen, who presented the data at Thursday’s regular advisory board meeting. He noted that free fares are especially helpful for riders on fixed incomes.

Bus rides will remain free throughout fiscal year 2027.

Compared to fiscal year 2025, rides on fixed bus routes were up by 8.6 percent. On paratransit routes, rides were up by 12.1 percent.

Over the past two years, overall ridership on county buses has risen by nearly a quarter.

The increase came even as a driver shortage resulted in a higher number of rides being cancelled because no one was available to drive the bus. A total of 3,347 trips were cancelled in fiscal 2026, up 4.1 percent from last year.

Administrator Kathleen Lambert said the authority’s goal is to have between 33 and 35 drivers on staff, and 26 are currently available. Hiring efforts remain ongoing.

A full breakdown of BRTA’s ridership data for fiscal 2026 can be found on the authority’s website.

Summertime seems to have delivered a jolt to the Link413 service, the coach bus service introduced in January to connect the Berkshires to other cities in western Massachusetts. The service provided 313 individual trips in June, the most rides in a month since it launched — 952 total rides have been provided as of June 30.

Among the three Link413 routes, the one connecting Pittsfield to Northampton is overall the most popular. It’s responsible for more than half of Link413 rides.

Route 1, which connects Pittsfield to North Adams, remained far and away the most popular fixed route with 176,123 trips throughout the fiscal year. Route 34, which loops through North Adams, came in second at 127,147 trips, and Route 2, which connects Pittsfield and Lee, came in third at 76,305 trips.

Route 14, which connects Pittsfield’s downtown to supermarkets in the Coltsville neighborhood, saw the fewest trips at just 3,321.

Asked about the authority’s record ridership numbers, Lambert said, “I’m feeling very good about it.”

“The people who are riding the bus need the bus,” she said, adding, “Transit keeps more money in people’s pockets.”