Record ridership for the Blue Line

Three transit lines are connecting even more regional riders to jobs, school, services, recreation, shopping, and other activities. The Metropolitan Council’s Regional Ridership Report shows the METRO Green Line, METRO Blue Line, and A Line have all outdistanced their previous year’s ridership.

In 2018, more than 11 million rides were taken on the METRO Blue Line which runs through the Messenger delivery area, setting an annual ridership record.

The METRO Green Line between the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul saw a record 13.8 million rides, a 5 percent increase from the previous year. Annual ridership has risen every year since the Green Line opened in 2014.

The A Line (46th St. Station in Longfellow to Rosedale Transit Center) surpassed last year’s ridership with a record 1.6 million rides. Since introducing bus rapid transit (BRT) service, ridership throughout the A Line corridor has increased by about one-third.

The Twin Cities region experienced a just over 1 percent dip in overall ridership following the October 2017 fare increase. While ridership in the region overall is showing signs of rebounding, budget constraints have slowed growth. Given the anticipated long-term structural deficit, Metro Transit has been planning more conservatively and has been unable to reinvest in the regular route bus system, which could improve route performance and support ridership growth.