Where Have D.C.'s Metro Riders Gone?

Lori Aratani of The Washington Post reports that transportation experts and Metro officials are trying to explain just where the transit system's riders have gone to after an 11 percent drop in ridership during the last quarter. While Metro Board chairman Jack Evans believes former riders have switched to single-person private vehicles ("I can tell by the congestion on the streets"), surveys have shown that commuters are finding alternatives that include bike share, Uber, Car2Go, and an increase in tele-commuting. One former rider notes that the switch away from Metrorail may also have something to do with the system's poor performance.

Melissa Dentch, 30, is an example of someone who is no longer wedded to a single way of getting around. She lives 2 1/2 blocks from a Metro station and used to use the transit system to get to her job at Georgetown University almost exclusively. Metro’s troubles prompted her to find other ways.

“I kind of feel like I’m Metro’s worst nightmare,” she said, explaining how she gets around town. “I own my own car, I have a Car2Go membership, I own a bike and I do bike share. There are so many options for the price that Metro’s charging . . . unless things improve, people are just going to find other options.”