Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Washington, DC · NTD ID 30030 · 2024 report year
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority carries 262 million passenger trips a year across three modes — heavy rail, bus and demand response — making it the 4th-busiest transit operator in the United States, and the largest in the District of Columbia. It is based in Washington, DC.
It spends $2.95 billion a year running that service, or $11.25 per trip. Its heavy rail service, the largest of its modes, costs $11.93 per rider — 14% above the $10.50 median for the 16 US agencies reporting heavy rail.
Over the 10 years reported, ridership remains 26% below its 2019 level, the last full year before the pandemic, and up 14% on 2023. Fares cover 12% of operating cost.
Service by mode, 2024
| Mode | Annual trips | Operating expense | Cost per rider | vs national median | Farebox | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy Rail#2 of 16 nationally | 143,537,550 | $1.71 billion | $11.93 | +14% | 18% | 992 |
| Bus#6 of 1,162 nationally | 117,539,605 | $1.05 billion | $8.95 | -35% | 5% | 1,148 |
| Demand Response#11 of 1,920 nationally | 1,396,962 | $189 million | $134.99 | +255% | 2% | 634 |
Ridership, 2015–2024
| Year | Annual trips | Operating expense (2024 $) | Cost per rider (2024 $) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 262,474,117 | $2.95 billion | $11.25 |
| 2023 | 231,023,784 | $2.71 billion | $11.72 |
| 2022 | 156,897,531 | $2.38 billion | $15.17 |
| 2021 | 89,940,370 | $2.44 billion | $27.14 |
| 2020 | 273,545,946 | $2.46 billion | $8.99 |
| 2019 | 354,656,249 | $2.48 billion | $6.99 |
| 2018 | 351,298,962 | $2.32 billion | $6.62 |
| 2017 | 352,545,938 | $2.23 billion | $6.34 |
| 2016 | 379,141,810 | $2.23 billion | $5.89 |
| 2015 | 406,647,664 | $2.28 billion | $5.61 |
Where Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ranks
- Cheapest Heavy Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #10 of 16
- Most Expensive Heavy Rail Systems by Cost per Rider #7 of 16
- Highest-Ridership Heavy Rail Systems #2 of 16
- Best Farebox Recovery Among Heavy Rail Systems #7 of 16
- Highest-Ridership Bus Agencies #6 of 40
- Most Expensive Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services by Cost per Rider #2 of 40
- Highest-Ridership Demand-Response (Paratransit) Services #11 of 40
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Ask NTD about Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority →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.