Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 2, 2003

April 1 Metrorail ridership was no April fool’s jokeridership yesterday put the day’s total in the top 25 all time high ridership days

The Cherry Blossoms and another D.C. rite of spring - a protest rally - put Metrorail’s April 1 ridership totals in the top 25 highest ridership days. The rally at the Supreme Court also helped yesterday’s ridership of 691,932 trips come in as the 22nd highest ridership day in Metrorail’s history.

"Metrorail is the best way for our customers to get around town, especially in the downtown area of the District of Columbia where many rallies, parades, protests, and other events take place and where parking is limited," noted Lem Proctor, Chief Operating Officer for Rail. "Our safe, reliable, and convenient service appeals to customers who are regular riders as well as those who are new to our system. As long our system is kept as safe as it has been in these trying times, we expect to see other days this spring and summer when ridership is as impressive as yesterday."

The number one high ridership day still remains President Clinton’s first inauguration with 811,257 riders in 1993, followed by the Million Man March with 804,146 in 1995.

Each year, Cherry Blossoms are a great attraction for riders on the system. Not only were they a factor in yesterday’s ridership, but last year on April 2, 4, and 5, they were a significant factor in attracting ridership which exceeded 700,000 customers on each of those days.

The third and fourth highest ridership days ever were due to the Desert Storm parade in 1991 and the Promise Keepers event in 1997, both of which took place on Saturdays. If a weekend event is not included, the third and fourth highest weekday ridership days were due to the Pro Israel Rally and, you guessed it, the Cherry Blossoms.

Interestingly, of the top 25 high ridership days, 17 of those days took place when no special event was occurring in the metropolitan region.

News release issued on April 2, 2003.