Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 6, 2003

Metrorail records 15th highest weekday ridership day in its 27-year history

Thursday’s ridership of 699,533 customers was the 15th highest weekday ridership in Metrorail’s 27 years of operation. It marks the second day this year that has seen ridership make it into Metro’s top 15 high ridership day list, and the fourth day this year that has seen ridership make it into Metro’s top 20 high ridership list.

There were no major events taking place in the region that would have added to yesterday’s high ridership.

The last time Metrorail ridership exceeded 700,000 in one day was March 18, 2003, when ridership of 705,892 was recorded. On that day, a standoff between police and a North Carolina tobacco farmer in a tractor who settled into a location in a pond on the Mall for several days resulted in many road closures in the downtown area, especially along Constitution Avenue, one of the District of Columbia’s major arteries. Local police and transportation officials urged commuters to use Metrorail to get into and out of the city while the siege continued.

The other high weekday ridership days in Metrorail’s history are listed in the chart below. Dates in bold are from this calendar year.

News release issued on June 6, 2003.