Rising Gas Prices Blamed for Inver Grove Heights Metro Transit Bus Ridership Increase

Inver Grove Heights may only have three Metro Transit bus routes, but so far this year those buses have tallied more than 880,000 rides.

That number is a significant increase from 2010's mid-year numbers. During the first half of 2010, the 68, 71 and 75—the routes that serve Inver Grove Heights—had a total ridership of only 815,000.

Inver Grove Heights isn't alone in seeing increased bus ridership. In the first half of 2011, customers boarded Metro Transit buses and trains 39.6 million times—1.2 million more rides than the same period last year, according to a press release issued by Metro Transit. Ridership in the month of June of this year is up 6 percent over June 2010.

"Transit ridership has continued to grow through the second quarter as more commuters choose to avoid high gas prices and congested freeways,” Metro Transit General Manager Brian Lamb wrote in the press release.

Of the three Metro Transit routes in Inver Grove, route 68 saw the most growth, according to data compiled by Metro Transit. The route, which passes along Carmen Avenue and Concord Boulevard before heading to the Inver Hills Community College campus, saw a total of roughly 458,000 rides in the first six months of 2010. In the first half of 2011, the number of rides given jumped up 10.7 percent, to 507,150 rides. Rides given also increased on 71, which follows Dawn Way and 80th Street before terminating at Wal-Mart, and route 75, which runs along 50th Street and Babcock Trail in the northwestern portion of the city.

Inver Grove Heights Bus Routes, By The Numbers*

507,150

267,819

253,201

249,083

109,317

103,891

103,471

884,286

815,276

*Statistics courtesy of Metro Transit. To view a map of Metro Transit bus routes in Inver Grove Heights, click here.