Metro bus ridership makes biggest gain in 10 years

Metro Transit saw its biggest ridership gain in 10 years in 2007.

Ridership increased 7 percent last year, with an estimated 110 million passengers, passing the 103 million mark set in 2006.

Metro officials say high gas prices, strong employment and concern about global warming led to the high ridership numbers. Gas prices increased 10 percent in 2007, and employment in King County rose 2.5 percent.

Passenger numbers show that there were 365,000 boardings on an average weekday in 2007.

"This shift in driving habits not only helps in the fight to reduce global warming, it increases the capacity of our roads and highways during the high-demand commute times," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

The 110 million boardings don't include the 2.3 million van-pool passengers, an increase of 18 percent from 2006.

Metro manager Kevin Desmond said since 2004, ridership is up almost 15 percent and Metro has about 50,000 more passengers each weekday.

He also credited increased ridership to added bus service financed by a ballot measure approved by voters in 2006.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054 or sgilmore@seattletimes.com