Metro Transit Announces Second Highest Ridership Since 1971

Metro Transit is proud to announce that its 2007 fixed-route ridership is the second highest ridership count in more than 35 years. Metro's annual ridership for 2007 was 12,672,265, an increase of 5.3% over its 2006 ridership total of 12,034,468. The 2007 count is the second highest on record dating back to 1971. The highest yearly count recorded is 13,388,926 back in 1982. Since 2000, Metro's ridership has increased by 25.9%. Paratransit ridership has grown almost 12.1% over the same period. Some of the many factors attributing to this ridership include: • very successful unlimited ride pass agreements with several large educational and employer organizations, • the long term trend towards much higher gasoline costs, and • commitment by Metro employees to providing professional and friendly transit service In addition, business and community leaders are to greater extents beginning to realize the vital role of public transportation in addressing global warming by reducing carbon emissions in our community. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Americans took 10. 1 billion trips on public transportation in 2006, the highest ridership level in 49 years. From 1995 through 2006, national public transportation ridership has increased by 30 percent. # # # Metro Transit Historical Fixed-Route Ridership 1971 6,372,734 1972 7,302,694 1973 7,879,092 1974 8,683,583 1975 9,456,019 1976 9,828,149 1977 10,573,824 1978 10,707,015 1979 11,828,519 1980 11,933,703 1981 12,398,910 1982 13,388,926 1983 12,007,723 1984 12,228,881 1985 11,946,337 1986 11,301,361 1987 10,063,120 1988 9,540,787 1989 9,047,940 1990 9,096,485 1991 9,389,637 1992 9,560,739 1993 9,554,959 1994 9,655,615 1995 9,600,678 1996 9,816,095 1997 10,370,107 1998 10,097,867 1999 10,110,441 2000 10,065,495 2001 10,210,834 2002 10,895,089 2003 10,934,125 2004 10,962,345 2005 11,475,597 2006 12,034,468 2007 12,672,265

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