Riders took Metro buses to near record numbers in 2011 as economy strengthens

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Transit ridership in King County roars back as economy strengthens

Riders took Metro buses in near record numbers in 2011

A growing economy combined with improved transportation services to better meet the needs of riders led to a nearly 3 percent boost in Metro Transit ridership in 2011. In all, about 370,000 people hopped aboard a Metro bus each weekday for a total of nearly 113 million rides.

“A near-record number of people are experiencing first-hand the benefits of taking the bus, and I look forward to even more commuters getting on board with transit as the economy comes back,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

2011 was a big year for Metro. Ridership climbed to levels not seen since 2008, when employment was at its peak. Transit ridership even outstripped job growth by more than one percentage point, which suggests that more people are using transit to get to more places.

“With gas prices on the rise and more RapidRide lines coming later this year, we expect to see transit demand strengthen even further in the weeks and months to come,” Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond said.  Read More >>