(The following appeared on the Progressive Railroading website on February 7.)
In 2007, MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) carried 2.3 billion riders — the highest passenger count since 1969. Ridership increased 2.7 percent compared with 2006’s total.
NYCT officials attribute the ridership growth to a strong economy, record tourism and MetroCard discounts.
Total weekday ridership averaged 7.4 million, up 2.1 percent, and weekend ridership (Saturday and Sunday combined) averaged 7.7 million, the highest count in more than 35 years.
Subway ridership, which accounted for more than two-thirds of NYCT’s total passenger count, reached 1.56 billion — the highest annual figure since 1951 and a 4.2 percent increase compared with 2006’s total. Weekday subway ridership averaged more than 5 million passengers and weekend ridership, 5.1 million.
Brooklyn’s Canarsie L train registered the largest gain, posting an 8 percent weekday ridership increase. In 2007, NYCT added 23 weekday, 30 Saturday and 34 Sunday round trips on the L line.
Annual ridership on MTA’s Staten Island Railway rose 9 percent year over year to 4.13 million. Agency officials attribute the increase to a recently implemented strategic business plan and a comprehensive service improvement program implemented in 2005.