AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO IDENTIFY A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUCH BELIEFS AND EXPERIENCE ON PASSENGER USAGE AS RELATED TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC LEVELS. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED TO SURVEY RIDERS USING THE ROUTE AND NON-RIDERS LIVING ADJACENT TO THE ROUTE. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT TRANSIT CRIME AND VANDALISM DO HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON PASSENGER USAGE AND THAT THE EFFECT IS MORE PRONOUNCED AS THE DISTANCE FROM THE POSITION ON THE ROUTE DECREASES RELATIVE TO THE CENTRAL CITY. SERVICE FACTORS, SUCH AS FREQUENCY OF SERVICE, FARE LEVEL, CONVENIENCE OF ROUTES, AND TRAVEL TIME, ARE MORE INFLUENTIAL ON TRANSIT USERS AND NON-USERS. SURVEY RESULTS ANALYZED ACCORDING TO SOCIO -ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS SHOWED THAT BELIEF ABOUT PERSONAL SECURITY ON BUSES IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS OF THE RESPONDENTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)