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(The Associated Press circulated the following article on September 9.)

PHILADELPHIA — Officials say soaring gasoline prices are driving people from their cars to mass transit.

SEPTA says ridership on the Philadelphia area’s mass transit system has grown by about 10-thousand people a day since January.

Officials say the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority carries about 738-thousand bus, trolley and commuter train riders daily.

The agency says it had 214 (m) million in the last fiscal year — its highest ridership in 13 years, and the increase is expected to continue with the end of the summer holidays.

The largest increases have been in the city transit division.