Metro News Release

For immediate release: July 13, 2005

June Metrorail Ridership Shatters Records

More people took trips on Metrorail during June than during any other month in Metrorail’s 29-year history. Ridership for the month was 18,556,046, and averaged 734,582 riders per weekday. The previous all-time high for ridership was this past April, when 17,863,153 passenger trips were taken.

For the entire fiscal year 2005 (July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005), Metrorail carried 195,186,512 customer trips, a 2.7 percent increase, or over five million more customers than in fiscal year 2004. The average weekday ridership in fiscal year 2005 was 668,002, compared to 652,578 in the previous year. This marks the ninth consecutive year of increased ridership for Metrorail.

Last month, ridership exceed 700,000 on 18 weekdays, and it marked the fourth time in Metrorail history that the average weekday ridership in a month exceeded 700,000 trips. Typical average weekday ridership for the fiscal year was 668,000.

Metro achieved four top 10 ridership days in June. Last Friday, June 30, Metro recorded its fifth highest weekday ridership count ever with 764,425 passenger trips.

"The ridership totals for June were phenomonal," said Metro CEO Richard A. White. "Typically, we see a spike in June as the region sees an influx of visitors riding along with our regular customers. However, the beautiful weather and the Washington Nationals have also combined to bring record ridership to Metrorail."

Metrobus ridership in May (most current available) was approximately 13 million, a 3.8 percent increase from May 2004.

Metrorail’s Top Ten Ridership Days List

Rank     Date                       Ridership             Event

1            June 9, 2004            850,636                Reagan State Funeral Ceremony

2            January 20, 1993     811,257                Clinton’s First Inauguration

3            October 16, 1995    804,146                Million Man March

4            April 14, 2005         766,184                1st Nationals game

5            June 30, 2005          764,425                No Event

6            June 10, 2004          763,121                Reagan State Funeral Ceremony

7            June 8, 2005            761,652                No Event

8            June 28, 2005          761,486                No Event

9            June 9, 2005            757,527                No Event

10          January 19, 2005     757,126                Bush Inaugural (#2)

 

News release issued on July 13, 2005.