Ridership growth particularly picked up late in the year. Average weekday ridership during the fourth quarter increased 27.9% over the same period in 2015, with light rail weekday ridership growing 83.8%.
“It is encouraging to see such dramatic increases in ridership,” said Board Chair and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers. “Every time someone chooses Link, Sounder or ST Express, they are helping our region’s economy and the environment. As we expand the regional rail network in the years ahead we will enable more and more people to climb aboard.”
Ridership growth particularly picked up late in the year. Average weekday ridership during the fourth quarter increased 27.9% over the same period in 2015, with light rail weekday ridership growing 83.8%.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.