Metro News Release
For immediate release: March 15, 2010
Rail ridership springs ahead after winter snows melt
Riders can expect more people in the system
With the hint of spring in the air, daily riders are likely to find more people in the trains, on the platforms and in parking lots. Metrorail ridership typically surges in the spring when the weather turns milder, the cherry blossom season blooms and tourists who are visiting the region ride Metrorail alongside everyday commuters.
Weekday ridership so far this month has averaged 750,000 trips. In January weekday ridership averaged 717,000 trips and in average weekday ridership February totaled 593,000 trips.
In February, Metrorail saw ridership fall to historic lows after back-to-back snowstorms closed many governments, schools and businesses. Metro also limited service to the 46 underground stations on eight days in February.
Snow began on Friday, Feb. 5, and impacted ridership immediately. By Wednesday, Feb. 10, ridership had dwindled to 36,097 trips. On Friday, Feb. 12, the federal government reopened and rail service was restored to all 86 stations by 4 p.m. The week of Feb. 15, rail ridership exceeded ridership from the same the week in 2009. On Thursday, Feb. 18, Metro riders took 803,641 rail trips, compared with 731,585 trips the same day in 2009. Metro typically sees ridership top 800,000 trips at the height of the tourist season or during large, special events.
“When the region reopened for business after the blizzards, many roadways were still piled high with snow banks blocking driving lanes and parking areas, so they climbed on board Metro,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe. “Quite frankly, it looks like they’ve stayed with us. The high level of ridership has continued through the first half of March.”
Metrorail ridership has continued its upward trend since mid-February. During the peak hours, riders are finding full parking garages and trains. Metrorail is continuing to operate a mix of six- and eight-car trains on weekdays and typically has more capacity during the mid-day and late night, off-peak hours.
With special events and an influx of tourists in the spring and summer months, riders should expect crowding to increase. To ease crowding in stations, riders are reminded to stand anywhere along the full length of the platform, and to ease crowding on trains, particularly, near the doors, riders are asked to move into the aisles away from the doors. If possible, riders should travel during the off-peak hours and avoid the busiest travel times on the rail system.
News release issued at 11:02 am, March 15, 2010.