> News+Events > Features > Transit

Metro Transit’s ridership grows steadily

Ridership is up 7.9% through June

If the positive trend for ridership continues, Metro Transit could be looking at another record-breaking year.

For the first half of the year, customers boarded Metro Transit buses and trains 39.7 million times. That’s 7.9%, or 2.9 million rides, higher than the same period last year.

Metro Transit finished 2007 with 77 million rides, the highest annual ridership total since 1982. Metro Transit has a ridership goal of 78 million rides this year.

“When we set our ridership goal for 2008 in mid-2007, we felt confident that we would reach 78 million rides,” said Metro Transit General Manager Brian Lamb. “Now the question is how many million rides above our goal will we be by the end of the year.”

Rail ridership is up 16.2 percent

The agency recorded increases in all major service categories for the first six months of 2008, led by a 16.2% increase in riders on the Hiawatha light-rail line. Through June, ridership on Hiawatha was at 4.6 million.

Ridership on urban local services was up 9%. Those customers logged 29.5 million rides through June. In addition, express bus ridership was up 8.7%, and suburban local ridership saw an increase of 7.6%.

Customers who participate in three fare pass programs – Metropass, U-Pass and Go-To College Pass – also contributed to Metro Transit’s strong results.

Through June, Metro Transit recorded 3.9 million rides from customers who use a Metropass, a transit pass that employers provide, often picking up all or part of the cost for their employees. That change represents a 19.6% increase over the same time last year.

Ridership by University of Minnesota students using U-Passes was 27.7% higher than the first six months of last year. Go-To College Pass use by students at participating colleges, universities and trade schools was up 300%.