Metro Bus Ridership Numbers Up Slightly

ST. CLOUD -- More people rode the Metro Bus this year than in 2010, but only slightly more.

The fiscal year ended in September and the year-end report shows 872 more people rode the fixed route service than the year before. But, St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission spokesman Tom Cruikshank says the numbers may have been bigger had it not been a tough construction year...specifically the West Metro Corridor project. Cruikshank estimates several thousand more riders could be added to the list had there not been construction there.

Metro Bus figures show a drop of more than 21-thousand passengers on the Westside route in 2011 compared to 2010.

The Dial-A-Ride service increased by 2,150 riders.

The Northstar Link Commuter Bus  saw its ridership numbers double from more than 20,000 riders to over 40,000 in 2011.

Cruikshank says they are happy to see an increase in ridership across most service areas, he says challenges lie ahead next year with major construction slated for County Road 120 and Highway 15 in Sartell.