Since opening in 2011, the Hebron Baptist Church park and ride and the Hamilton Mill park and ride have continued to draw new riders.

Route 416, which runs from Hebron Baptist Church to downtown Atlanta, opened last June with just a handful of riders. In July, its first full month of operation, the route averaged 38 boardings each day. According to the latest numbers provided by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, Route 416 now has an average of 176 boardings each day.

A boarding is recorded as each time a rider gets on the coach. Most riders will count as two boardings a day -- one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

Routes 411 and 413, which operate out of the Hamilton Mill park and ride lot, have also experienced an increase in ridership. Route 413 to downtown had 100 boardings on its best day during its first month of operation in August of 2011. Last month, the route averaged 171 boardings each day.

Route 411 to midtown, which also picks up passengers at the Mall of Georgia, averaged 299 boardings a day in April.

"We are pleased with the performance of all of these routes," wrote William Mecke, chief public relations officer for the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, in an email to Dacula Patch.

Have you used either park and ride lot? What did you think of the experience? Is this service a good use of public funding? Tell us in the comments.

You might also be interested in the following:

• GRTA: ‘Solid and Pleasing’ Start for Dacula Park and Ride
• Hamilton Mill Park and Ride to Open Monday
• GRTA Commuter Service to Begin June 20
• GRTA Representative Briefs Council on Park and Ride Plans
• GRTA Xpress Commuter Routes to Begin Mid-Summer