Valley Metro Rail, Inc.
Phoenix, AZ · NTD ID 90209 · 2024 report year
Valley Metro Rail, Inc. carries 11.0 million passenger trips a year across two modes — light rail and streetcar — making it the 62nd-busiest transit operator in the United States. It is based in Phoenix, AZ.
It spends $80.3 million a year running that service, or $7.29 per trip. Its light rail service, the largest of its modes, costs $7.35 per rider — 36% below the $11.57 median for the 22 US agencies reporting light rail.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 27% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 9% on 2023. Fares cover 9% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Rail#13 of 22 nationally | 10,215,129 | $75.1 million | $7.35 | -36% | 9% | 34 |
| Streetcar#13 of 25 nationally | 793,627 | $5.2 million | $6.49 | -35% | — | 3 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11,008,756 | $80.3 million | $7.29 |
| 2023 | 10,121,194 | $70.3 million | $6.94 |
| 2022 | 8,438,139 | $59.9 million | $7.10 |
| 2021 | 6,581,599 | $63.8 million | $9.70 |
| 2020 | 12,826,471 | $61.7 million | $4.81 |
| 2019 | 15,084,312 | $59.4 million | $3.94 |
| 2018 | 15,786,911 | $53.7 million | $3.40 |
| 2017 | 16,511,814 | $53.1 million | $3.22 |
| 2016 | 15,574,737 | $45.8 million | $2.94 |
| 2015 | 14,276,884 | $41.4 million | $2.90 |
Where Valley Metro Rail, Inc. ranks
- Cheapest Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #5 of 22
- Most Expensive Light Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #18 of 22
- Highest-Ridership Light Rail Systems #13 of 22
- Highest-Ridership Streetcar Systems #13 of 25
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Ask NTD about Valley Metro Rail, Inc. →Source & method. Figures are from the Federal Transit Administration's National Transit Database (NTD) annual reporting for 2024, the most recent published report year. Cost per rider is operating expense divided by unlinked passenger trips. Farebox recovery is fare revenue divided by operating expense. Ten-year trends are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; single-year figures are as reported. Agencies self-report to the NTD, and reporting practice varies, so figures are best read as comparable in magnitude rather than to the cent.