Tri-Rail carried more passengers in 2013 than during any other year in its 25-year history of operation. According to records, 4,350,782 trips were taken on the commuter rail line in 2013, up from approximately 4,300,000 in 2008 when gas prices were at their highest.

The increased ridership is attributed to the recovering economy and employment numbers as well as increased service on weekends.

“As we prepare to celebrate our 25th anniversary this month, we are gratified to see how many people continue to embrace this system as their economical, reliable transportation alternative,” said Joseph Giulietti, executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, which operates Tri-Rail.

Tri-Rail began service on January 9, 1989 as a temporary five-year traffic mitigation project while I-95 was under construction. Twenty-five years later, it serves as the permanent north-south spine of South Florida’s regional public transportation network.  Tri-Rail has carried approximately 70 million passengers since it began operations.