The AJC reports this morning that MARTA ridership was up 12.4% system wide in the third quarter of 2008 vs. same period year-ago, even though gas prices peaked in July.

That’s an even bigger increase than the 10% system-wide increase reported in second quarter 2008.

Obviously the great unknown is whether the return of cheap gas will get people back in their cars or whether the recent reintroduction to transit along with a sagging economy will keep transit ridership levels up over years past.

Time will tell.

If you like numbers, all of the data cited above can be found on the American Public Transportation Association website.