Examining the Rise in Transit Ridership

A recent article on Salon.com takes a look at the rise in transit ridership since gas prices hit $3.00, "Who says Americans won't ride transit?".  But, as the article explains, there's a glitch:

"The rise in mass transit ridership should be great news. . .But the news isn't all that sunny. In fact, the mini-exodus from driving has exposed significant cracks in the country's mass transit systems, which are struggling to accommodate new riders. Having spent decades forsaking the bus and the train for the convenience and privacy of cars, Americans are now finding that the buses, streetcars, trolleys and trains that they left behind are strapped for cash, if they still exist at all."

We are lucky to have well-run transit systems like TriMet and C-Tran here, but do you think their are "significant cracks" in our region's transit systems?  What could our region do better for transit?  What is functioning well?