Metro Ridership Up After Fare Increases

THREE MONTHS AFTER the biggest fare hike in Metro's history, ridership continues to grow, according to budget analysts.

"Rail ridership is up, bus [ridership] stayed about the same as last year and parking lots and garages are still filling up," said Metro Budget Director Rick Harcum after studying three months of ridership data.

According to Metro, average weekday ridership grew 6 percent in January, 4 percent in February and 3 percent in March. Budget analysts project another 3 percent growth in rail ridership over the next few months, as compared to last year.

Although Metrorail riders saw increases as high as 75 cents per trip with the fare hike, Metrobus prices remained the same for riders using SmarTrip cards. As a result, Metro officials have seen SmarTrip card use on buses increase from 20 to 26 percent since the fare increase, according to a press release.

Metro initially approved the fare hike to make up for a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall projected for fiscal year 2009. However, Metro officials say they are not recommending raising parking fees an additional 25 cents in July, which was left as an option when the Metro Board approved the increase last December.

» "Metro Chief Lays Out '09 Budget Plan for System" [Free Ride/Express]

Photo by Rich Lipski/The Washington Post