Sound Transit Ridership Up, Tacoma Link Ridership Down

Sound Transit ridership numbers for the second quarter of 2014 show that despite an overall increase in ridership across ST services, Tacoma's Link light rail saw a slight decrease for the quarter.

Between April 1 and June 30 this year overall Sound Transit boardings across ST Express buses, light rail, and the Sounder were up by more than 9%, compared to an 8% increase in Q2 2013. In Q2 2014 7% more people got on ST Express buses and Sounder trains than in the same period in 2013. Ridership on the Central Link grew even more, with more than 1 million riders in June, for a 16% increase over the quarter.

The Tacoma Link, on the other hand, had 3% fewer riders in the same time period.

Sound Transit credits gradually improving economic conditions, population growth, and relatively slow unemployment for the overall positive ridership numbers in this report. The report softens the Tacoma numbers a bit by pointing out that the decline for Tacoma Link is at least slower than in other recent quarters. The report also includes an explanatory note on the Tacoma numbers.

Tacoma Link did not meet the targets for boardings and, therefore, fell short of the budgeted boardings per hour and boardings per trip. Tacoma Link ridership has decreased due to fewer Tacoma events and relocation of two major Downtown Tacoma employers to King County.

So does the Sound Transit explanation for dropping Tacoma Link ridership numbers make sense to you? Is there another factor missing?

Peruse the more detailed statistics for yourself in the Sound Transit Q2 2014 service report.