Metro News Release
For immediate release: February 11, 2010
Continued snowfall, reduced services sees dramatic drop in Metrorail trips
February ridership snowed out
Metrorail ridership so far this week has seen ridership levels slow to a trickle with heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions. Only 36,097 trips were taken yesterday, Wednesday, Feb. 10, when white-out blizzard conditions limited the rail system to underground service only. By comparison, there were 670,643 trips taken the previous Wednesday (Feb. 3).
Snow began on Friday, Feb. 5, and began to impact ridership immediately. The numbers of trips taken during the weekend were extremely low, as were Monday’s and Tuesday’s trip count. Ridership on Saturday, Feb. 6 (63,111) was the lowest number of trips taken in the rail system since Christmas 2006 when 56,326 trips were recorded. That record was eclipsed yesterday (Feb. 10) when only 36,097 trips were taken.
Today’s underground-only limited service is also expected to see a drop-off in ridership compared with the previous Thursday, but well above yesterday’s level.
February Metrorail ridership
| Date | Metrorail Trips Taken | Service Level |
| Monday, Feb. 1 | 701,138 | Regular service |
| Tuesday, Feb. 2 | 728,047 | Regular service |
| Wednesday, Feb. 3 | 670,643 | Regular service |
| Thursday, Feb. 4 | 753,587 | Regular service |
| Friday, Feb. 5 | 516,257 | Halted above ground service at 11 p.m. |
| Saturday, Feb. 6 | 63,111 | Underground service only; rail system closed at 11 p.m. |
| Sunday, Feb. 7 | 90,139 | Underground service only |
| Monday, Feb. 8 | 124,057 | Underground service only |
| Tuesday, Feb. 9 | 261,522 | Five Blue Line stations closed; rail system closed at 8:45 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Feb. 10 | 36,097 | Underground service only |
| Thursday, Feb. 11 | Available on Friday | Underground service only |
News release issued at 1:03 pm, February 11, 2010.