Sound Transit: Ridership Has Reached Record Levels

Sound Transit announced last Friday that its latest ridership numbers for 2012 shows an all-time high. The numbers surpass the agency’s goal for 2012.

Compared to the previous year, Central Link light rail had an increase of 11 percent, Sounder commuter rail was up 10.5 percent and Sound Transit Express buses showed an increase of 13 percent.

Sound Transit spokesperson Kimberly Reason said the reason for the increase is the economic recovery. “As more people go back to work, more people are commuting,” she said.

One remaining problem for Sound Transit is the Sounder commuter service between Seattle and Everett. Last year there was a record number of cancelations — 162 due to mudslides across the tracks. The previous record was 70. Reason noted that the Washington State Department of Transportation has received $16 million grant from the federal government to use to study the issue and stabilize some areas.