An alert 5th Listener sends this link to Tri Met’s latest ridership numbers. Wonder how much we’re subsidizing for each ride?

June 11, 2009

May ridership report

There were 8.5 million trips taken in May 2009, down 4.3 percent from May 2008. Ridership is impacted by the recession, double-digit unemployment and lower gas prices that were at record levels last year. MAX weekend ridership was up but all other ridership categories were down. All figures below are compared to May 2008:

Bus, MAX & WES

• Weekly trips were 1,998,700, down 3.2 percent
• Weekday trips were 325,000, down 3.7 percent
• Weekend trips were 373,800, down 1.2 percent
• Rush hour trips were 104,000, down 5 percent

Bus

• Weekly bus trips were 1,291,900, down 3.8 percent
• Weekday bus trips were 216,100, down 4 percent
• Weekend bus trips were 211,400, down 2.8 percent
• Rush hour bus trips were 71,600, down 5.5 percent

MAX

• Weekly MAX trips were 700,900, down 2.8 percent
• Weekday MAX trips were 107,700, down 3.9 percent
• Weekend MAX trips were 162,400, up 1 percent
• Rush hour trips were 31,200, down 7.4 percent

WES

• Weekly WES trips totaled 5,900
• Weekday/rush hour trips averaged 1,180 boardings. WES service is only weekday/rush hour service.