More people are choosing to ride Metrorail, and it鈥檚 leading to crowding issues on a system still hobbled by a lack of railcars.
Metro said it set a pandemic-era record with more than 300,000 rail trips Wednesday, thanks to commuters, a convention and the Washington Capitals鈥� season opener.
The agency also said that since Labor Day, there has been a 35% increase in ridership around 8 a.m., and a 13% increase around 5 p.m.
鈥淪o we have significant crowding concerns going on at certain times of the day,鈥� said Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. 鈥淚 know the community is frustrated. I know our passengers are frustrated. We share their frustration. We are doing everything we can.鈥�
鈥淚t is a safety issue if we have crowded trains,鈥� said Metro Board member Matt Letourneau, 鈥渏ust as much as any sort of mechanical issue is.鈥�
Metro and its riders have been awaiting word from safety regulators about possibly increasing the number of troubled 7000-series railcars the system can run.
On Thursday, Clarke revealed that although Metro has been cleared to run up to 20 7000-series trains, it is only able to field up to 16, because of other logistical and technical requirements from Metrorail鈥檚 safety watchdog, the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.
The 7000-series cars, which make up more than half of Metro鈥檚 fleet, have been sidelined since a derailment last fall, which has been blamed on the cars鈥� wheel sets falling out of line with the tracks.
