Blue Line sets new annual record, ridership at highest level since 1981
The
METRO Blue Line set a new annual ridership record and system ridership
increased for the 11th time in 12 years as customers took more than 85.8
million rides on buses and trains operated by Metro Transit in 2015.
Ridership
increased 1.4 percent over last year, by nearly 1.2 million rides, and reached
its highest level since 1981. This is the first time in a generation that
ridership has grown steadily for more than a decade; annual ridership has
increased 23 percent since 2005.
“We’ve really turned a corner when it comes to
transit in the Twin Cities,” General Manager
Brian Lamb said. “With two light-rail lines, more than 100 bus routes and a
commuter rail line, the Twin Cities is more connected than it’s been in a very long
time. And the benefits are profound: improvements in our transit network are
making our region more equitable, economically competitive and sustainable.”
Average
weekday ridership on all modes in 2015 was approximately 276,400, including
205,000 average weekday bus rides. (View a breakdown by mode at metrotransit.org.)
Ridership
on both the Blue and Green light-rail lines continued to grow as customers used
the all-day, frequent service to travel to work, school, special events and
other destinations. The ability to transfer between light-rail lines in
downtown Minneapolis also boosted ridership.
In all,
more than 10.6 million rides were taken on the Blue Line, the highest annual
ridership since it opened in mid-2004. The previous record of nearly 10.5
million rides was set in 2010. Average weekday ridership topped 30,000 for
eight consecutive months.
Nearly
12.4 million rides were taken on the Green Line during its first full year of
operation. Average weekday ridership was 37,400 – just under the 2030 forecast
of 41,000 rides. Ridership in the Central Corridor, including the Green Line and bus routes 16 and
94, increased by about 30 percent from 2014 to 2015 and has nearly doubled
since 2013, when service was provided by buses alone.
There
was an 8.6 percent decline in bus ridership, reflecting a transition from buses
to light rail and construction that led to prolonged detours on multiple routes.
In all, more than 62.1 million bus rides were taken last year, including nearly
51.3 million urban local rides, 8.7 million express rides and 2.1 million
suburban local rides.
Efforts
to build bus ridership will continue in 2016. Initiatives include new the
opening of the region’s first arterial Bus Rapid Transit Line, the A Line, new
bus stop signs with more information, more waiting shelters and a new mobile
app.
Northstar
ridership increased slightly over 2014, with 722,637 rides. December’s average
weekday ridership was up 12 percent over the same month last year.
Other ridership
highlights from 2015 include:
>
Metro Transit provided 575,348 rides to and from this year’s State Fair—the
highest express and regular route ridership ever.
>
Single-day light-rail ridership topped 100,000 for the first time ever on
Saturday, Sept. 3.
>
About 55 percent of customers paid their fares with a Go-To Card or other
automatic fare product.
>
Student Pass ridership grew 12.5 percent, to almost 4 million rides, and Metropass
ridership increased 2.6 percent as several large employers, including Regions
Hospital, Be the Match, Delta and Mall of America joined the program.
Metro
Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council and is the region’s largest
transportation provider.
Contact: Howie Padilla, Public Relations
Manager, 612-349-7089, howie.padilla@metrotransit.org
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