Ridership grew for the third consecutive year as Metro Transit provided more than 47.5 million rides in 2024, a nearly 6% increase from 2023. Average weekday ridership was 143,696.
“Transit connects people, strengthens communities, and improves lives, so it’s encouraging to see our reach and impact continue to grow across the region,” General Manager Lesley Kandaras said.
The annual ridership total includes 31.9 million bus rides and nearly 15.5 million light rail rides. Around 8.3 million rides were taken on bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, including the A Line, C Line, D Line, Orange Line, and Red Line. Ridership in BRT corridors increased nearly 14% from 2023.
The region’s growing METRO network of fast, frequent, all-day service will expand in 2025 with the opening of three new BRT lines – the METRO Gold Line, METRO B Line, and METRO E Line.
“People are voting with their feet, and they’re telling us they value the kind of frequent and reliable service we’re providing in our METRO corridors,” Council Chair Charlie Zelle said. “The ongoing effort to expand our METRO network promises to build on the successes we’re already seeing.”
Pass programs help boost ridership growth
Last year’s ridership growth can in part be attributed to efforts to expand pass programs that make transit more affordable and easier to use.
Students at the University of Minnesota and other colleges took nearly 2.8 million rides using a Universal Transit Pass, a 33% increase from 2023. Universal Transit Passes allow students to ride as often as needed at no direct cost (student fees cover program costs at the U of M).
More than 1 million rides were also taken by riders in the Transit Assistance Program (TAP), which allows people with lower incomes to ride for $1.
On Jan. 1, 2025, Metro Transit simplified and lowered fares, making full-priced adult fares on all non-express bus routes and light rail $2 all day, every day. Youth, seniors, and Medicare recipients can ride non-express buses and light rail for $1 all day, every day.
Service expanding as recruitment efforts continue
Metro Transit also improved and expanded service in 2024, offering more trips on several routes and moving to 12-minute light rail service throughout most of the day. To improve reliability, dedicated bus lanes were also added to sections of Lake Street, Lyndale Avenue, and Hennepin Avenue.
The service improvements were supported by the hiring of more than 450 new operators in 2024, the largest annual influx ever. Metro Transit now has more than 1,300 bus and train operators.
This spring, the Metropolitan Council will be asked to adopt a service improvement plan, Network Now, that outlines plans to expand service through 2027.
Fully implementing the plan would put 39% of BIPOC residents, 44% of low-income residents, and 29% of the regional population within 5 minutes of a stop or station where a bus or train is scheduled to arrive at least every 15 minutes.
Reported crime drops 6% from 2023 to 2024
The rise in ridership was accompanied by a drop in reported crime on transit.
Systemwide, 7,402 crimes were reported on transit in 2024, a 6% decline from 2023. The 2024 total includes 1,127 citations for smoking, which police proactively addressed throughout the year.
Efforts to provide a consistently clean, safe, and welcoming experience on transit will continue in 2025 as Metro Transit grows its Transit Rider Investment Program, further invests in supplemental security, and works to recruit more police officers and Community Service Officers (CSOs).
Another layer of official presence will be added later this month when Safety Ambassadors from the Saint Paul Downtown Improvement District begin monitoring light rail stations and nearby bus stops in downtown St. Paul.
“We are taking a whole community approach to public safety, and the results are speaking for themselves,” said Interim Metro Transit Police Chief Joe Dotseth. “As we build our team, we will continue working closely with partners across the region to serve and protect our employees, riders, and wider community.”
Contact: Drew Kerr, [email protected], 651-387-3928