Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 5, 2008

Ridership up three months after fare increase

Despite increasing fares earlier this year, Metro has seen a steady increase in ridership, according to budget analysts.

“Rail ridership is up, bus stayed about the same as last year and parking lots and garages are still filling up,” said Metro Budget Director Rick Harcum after studying three months of ridership data.

Metro raised fares in January to help close a multi-million dollar budget shortfall projected for fiscal 2009, which begins in July. Agency officials say Metro is on track to bring in $109 million by the end of fiscal 2009, and they are not recommending raising parking fees an additional 25 cents in July, which was an option when the Metro Board approved the increase last December. Riders pay up to $4.75 a day to park in Metro lots and garages.

Average weekday rail ridership grew 6 percent in January, 6 percent in February and 1.5 percent in March compared to the same periods last year. Metrorail ridership on an average weekday is about 750,000. Budget analysts predict a 3 percent projected growth in rail ridership over the next few months.

While rail riders saw rush hour fares increase between 30 and 75 cents depending upon the distance of their trip, bus fares increased a dime and only if riders paid with cash. The bus fare is unchanged at $1.25 if passengers pay with a SmarTrip card. Bus ridership remained about the same between January and March compared to the same periods last year. The average weekday bus ridership in March was 445,000. But Metro officials have seen SmarTrip card use on buses increase from 20 to 26 percent since the fare increase.

Metrobus riders pay 33 percent of the cost of their trips and rail riders pay 77 percent. The difference is made up by the local governments served by Metro in the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and Maryland.

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News release issued at 10:18 am, May 5, 2008.