By Kytja Weir
Metro ridership is faltering so far this year, falling "significantly lower" than the agency's forecast for decreased ridership, according to a new memo.
The ridership drops have translated into $5 million less revenue than expected for the first quarter, according to the memo included in a presentation slated to be given to Metro's Board of Directors on Thursday. The biggest losses are on Metrorail, which raised $4.1 million less than planned.
Metro refused to release a separate report that it gave to board members last month detailing the decrease and declined to comment on the issue until Thursday's meeting, so it's not clear exactly how much ridership has fallen. . . .The article continues by suggesting recent rate hikes and cuts in federal transit benefits were probably the key drivers in the drop, although numerous other press reports suggest increasingly poor service--delays, overcrowding, crime, etc.--may also be part of the problem. Recent declines in gasoline prices may have also added to the problem.
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