Metro Transit ridership edges up as gas climbs
Metro Transit says ridership edged up through May as Minnesota gas prices climbed, recording nearly 4.5 million rides in May — about 2.5% more than May 2025.[1]
The agency reported ridership was down 5% year-over-year in January, then rose 3% in February, 2% in March, and 3% in both April and May.[1] Bus boardings are up about 6% so far in 2026 while light-rail ridership has not grown, a trend Metro Transit links partly to construction-related service disruptions.[1] Metro Transit said it is analyzing how fuel costs and service changes are affecting travel patterns as summer service continues.[1]
In 2025 Metro Transit opened three new bus rapid transit lines. Those included the METRO Gold Line in March, the B Line in June, and the E Line in December, expanding all-day service across the Twin Cities. On February 28, 2026, U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and helped drive global oil prices higher. Regional refinery problems in the Great Lakes also tightened supplies and pushed Minnesota pump prices up.
Nearly 21 million rides were taken from January through May, about 1% higher than the prior year, while Metro Transit recorded about 45.15 million rides in 2025. AAA puts Minnesota's average regular gas at $3.88 per gallon and diesel at $4.98, slightly below last month but still elevated compared with a year earlier.
The mainstream summary highlights a modest increase in Metro Transit ridership but fails to address the broader context of post-pandemic recovery. While it mentions that ridership is still down 5% year-over-year in January, it does not specify that overall ridership in the first half of 2025 remained approximately 45% below pre-pandemic levels, which underscores the ongoing challenges faced by public transit systems. This significant detail from the Star Tribune emphasizes that despite recent gains, the recovery trajectory is far from complete, reflecting lingering impacts of the pandemic on commuter behavior.
Additionally, the summary attributes the rise in ridership primarily to increasing gas prices without discussing the nuanced relationship between fuel costs and transit usage. A study by the Mineta Transportation Institute indicates that the sensitivity of ridership to gas price increases can be substantial, particularly when prices exceed $3 per gallon. This suggests that while gas prices may drive short-term increases in ridership, the long-term recovery of transit systems will likely depend on more comprehensive factors beyond fuel costs, such as service reliability and infrastructure improvements.[2][3]
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📊 Relevant Data
Metro Transit annual ridership totaled approximately 45.15 million rides in 2025, with average weekday ridership around 145,900 in early 2026. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Transit_(Minnesota)))
Metro Transit (Minnesota) — Wikipedia
Metro Transit ridership in the first half of 2025 remained approximately 45% below pre-pandemic levels.
How Metro Transit's post-pandemic ridership recovery ... — Star Tribune
Minnesota's average regular gasoline price one year prior was $2.938 per gallon.
📌 Key Facts
- Metro Transit ridership was down 5% year-over-year in January 2026, then rose 3% in February, 2% in March, and 3% in both April and May.
- Nearly 4.5 million rides were taken in May 2026, up about 2.5% from May 2025, with roughly 21 million total rides from January through May (about 1% higher than the prior year).
- Bus ridership is up about 6% so far in 2026, while light-rail ridership has not grown, which Metro Transit attributes partly to construction-related service disruptions.
- AAA reports Minnesota’s average regular gas price at $3.88 per gallon and diesel at $4.98, slightly lower than last month but still elevated.
- Metro Transit is actively analyzing how fuel costs and service changes are affecting ridership patterns heading into summer.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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