Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 11, 2003

Tuesday’s Metrorail ridership tops 700,000

Ridership is 12th highest in 27-Year history of Metro

Sunshine and a reprieve from unseasonably rainy, cool weather combined to put Metrorail’s Tuesday, June 10, 2003, ridership totals among the system’s highest ridership days at 701,664, which ranks 12th on Metro’s all-time high list.

Yesterday’s was the second day in the past week that Metrorail ridership has made the system’s high ridership list. Last Thursday, June 5, saw 699,533 customers take a ride on the 103-mile Metrorail system. There were no major events in the region yesterday or last week that would have added to the high ridership totals.

The last time Metrorail ridership exceeded 700,000 in one day was March 18, 2003, when ridership reached 705,892. On that day, a standoff between police and a tobacco farmer resulted in downtown road closures. Local police and transportation officials urged commuters to use Metrorail during the standoff.

An average weekday usually sees Metrorail ridership in the 650,000 to 670,000 range. The majority of riders travel during the morning and afternoon commute times; however, during mid-day and evening hours, the Metrorail system has much more capacity to carry customers. Weekends tend to see considerably fewer riders in the Metrorail system, with fewer than 300,000 customers, another time when there is plenty of room to ride on Metrorail.

News release issued on June 11, 2003.