After three weeks of regular service, customers are boarding Metro Red Line buses an average of 798 times each weekday, and an average of about 450 times on weekend days.
The new bus rapid transit (BRT) service, which operates along Cedar Avenue and Highway 77 from Apple Valley to the Mall of America, began on June 22 and is the first of its kind in the Twin Cities.
Average weekday ridership is forecast to reach 975 after the first full year of service, growing to 1,600 in 2017. The Metro Red Line provides additional options for those travelling the Cedar corridor and complements existing express bus and local connecting bus service.
“It’s encouraging to see solid Metro Red Line ridership during the earliest days of regular service,” said Pat Born, regional administrator for the Metropolitan Council. “Cedar is a strong corridor for commuters, and these early figures illustrate the additional demand for frequent, all-day service which the red line also provides.”
Promotional free rides were offered on the line from June 22 to 30. More than 1,000 people rode the line during these first days. Total ridership from June 22 through July 19 is nearly 22,000.
The Red Line offers 15-minute service for most of each weekday, and 30-minute service during evenings and weekends between the Apple Valley Transit Station and the Mall of America, where it connects to the Metro Blue Line (Hiawatha LRT). It also serves the 147th and 140th Street stations in Apple Valley and the Cedar Grove Transit Station in Eagan.
