FARGO (AP) - More college students are using the region's public transit system, a new survey shows.

The Metropolitan Council of Governments administered the online survey about ridership habits to 1,200 students at North Dakota State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Concordia College and Minnesota State Community and Technical College.

Ridership was up at three of the schools. Minnesota State Community and Technical College did not have comparable data, because the school did not take part in a 2005 survey.

Of 500 NDSU students surveyed, 85 percent reported using the transit system, an increase from 43 percent who reported riding the bus in 2005. Forty-two percent of NDSU students surveyed said the bus is their primary mode of transportation to campus.

"Students are using the bus more, which is good," said Mikel Kunza, a regional transportation coordinator. "Transit seems to be serving them well."

Kunza said likely reasons for the ridership increase are high gas prices, limited parking around campuses and a program that lets students ride the bus for free with a campus-issued ID card.

That program is funded by the colleges.