Metro News Release

For immediate release: July 3, 2008

Metrorail sets third highest ridership day

834,956 riders used Metrorail on Wednesday, July 2

Hundreds of thousands of people helped Metro set the transit agency’s third highest ridership day in the history of the 32-year-old rail system on Wednesday, July 2. Riders took 834,956 trips, which were 90,952 more trips than the same comparable day last year. Metro analysts say the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival and high gas prices contributed to Wednesday’s high numbers.

Last month, Metrorail weekday ridership surpassed the 800,000 mark on 12 separate occasions. Combined with Metrobus ridership, Metro provides more than 1.2 million trips on an average weekday.

Metrorail’s Top 10 Weekday Ridership Days
         Date        Ridership            Event
1    06-09-04    850,636    Reagan State Funeral
2    06-25-08    846,388    Smithsonian/Baseball
3    07-02-08    834,956    Smithsonian
4    04-03-07    831,508    Cherry Blossoms/Baseball
5    06-24-08    831,464    Baseball/Basketball
6    06-20-08    829,998    Baseball/Basketball
7    04-24-08    828,973    Baseball/Basketball
8    04-17-08    828,418    Pope Visit/Soccer
9    04-11-08    828,132    Hockey/Baseball/Cherry Blossoms
10  06-27-08    825,862    Smithsonian/Baseball


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News release issued at 8:55 am, July 3, 2008.