Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read August 2023 — Earlier this week, Miami-Dade released its midyear State of the System snapshot, detailing ridership levels across its four modes of transportation. Miami-Dade County buses have throttled past pre-pandemic ridership, leaving Metrorail and Metromover in the dust.
The metrobus system achieved the highest level of daily ridership, exceeding 2019 levels by 114% to reach 174,000 rides across the county every day. Other modes of transportation have made steady gains in recovering riders, however still lag behind. Metrorail currently stands at about 43,325 riders, or 74% of 2019 numbers, while the Metromover stands at 23,645, or 84%.
“A robust public transit system does more than just connect us to the places we want to go – it connects us to opportunities, our environment and our community,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.in a statement. “That’s why my administration is working hard to strengthen it and expand mobility options, and we’re grateful for all the bus and rail operators that make our system run every day. I am proud to report that we’re making significant progress to deliver a future-ready, world-class public transportation system that our community needs and deserves.”
While daily ridership numbers have steadily climbed over the last few years across all of the Department of Transportation and Public Works’ (DTPW) systems, the vast majority of the county still gets to and from work using a personal vehicle, with the number almost unchanged over the course of the last decade. According to the report, 77% of Miami-Dade residents got to work using their cars in 2015 – today, that number has only dropped by 4% to 73%. The change is due mostly to work-from-home dynamics, with the share of workers using public transit declining from six to four percent, while WFH increased from four to 10%.
People who walked to work increased by a single point, totaling 3%, while remaining transit options remain virtually unchanged in terms of ridership share
Overall, Metrobus monthly ridership totals 4,545,050 as of June 2023, according to the county’s Monthly Ridership Report, heralding a 48.3% increase from the same time last year. Metrorail and Metromover monthly totals come in at 1,066,861 and 632,423 total riders, or a 9.4% and 32.5% increase.
As ridership numbers continue to grow, the system itself has started to noticeably change for users. The county has implemented the first phase of its Better Bus Network, aimed to reduce wait times and eliminate route overlap. The snapshot also highlights current and planned improvements to the system. The South Dade TransitWay, connecting southern Miami-Dade communities such as Homestead and Cutler Bay via a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, is 60% complete, while the county’s first new electric bus is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
Additional improvements highlighted by the snapshot were Metrorail’s North Corridor extension, which aims to expand the elevated heavy rail system northwards, connecting historically underrepresented North Miami-Dade and providing a dedicated route to Hard Rock Stadium and the Broward County line. DTPW is currently engaged with the Florida Department of Transportation to expedite design and coordination of the route’s development.
“My top priority has been closing existing equity gaps by expanding transportation options that truly benefit all residents in Miami-Dade,” added District 5 Commissioner and Transportation, Mobility, and Planning Committee Chair Eilleen Higgins in the release. “These key performance indicators show we are making progress in that direction, and I commend Director Cleckley and his team at DTPW.”
Metrorail has also seen track refurbishment, with 5,500 new rail fasteners installed and repairing elevators and escalators at both Metrorail and Metromover stations. Mover users can expect the Metromover Upgrade Project to be complete by 2025, with upgraded train cars and management control systems allowing for additional and expanded route flexibility and refurbished tracks and switches.
“We are committed to creating a strong foundation that positions our department for success,” said DTPW’s Director and CEO Eulois Cleckley. “The first half of 2023 has flown by and I’m proud of the fact that we’ve continued making great progress to advance so many critical transit and public works programs that will greatly benefit our community and quality of life for many years to come. We have more work to accomplish to meet the mobility needs of the [sic] Miami-Dade.”
For more information, please visit:
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/home.page
Photo credit: Felix Mizioznikov/shutterstock.com
