Metropolitan Council reports have emerged that regional transit ridership in 2023 has increased 16% from the previous year, clocking in 48.7 million rides. Metro Transit, the reliable workhorse of the region’s system, carried nearly 45 million of those rides, with an impressive tally of over 30 million bus rides, marking a 14% jump, and a 19% surge in light rail rides to 14.7 million. The weekday average of 136,893 riders reveals that people are increasingly opting to beat the traffic, which is surprisingly good news in a post-pandemic world. The growth comes thanks to hiring waves that onto more than 400 operators last year, providing a jolt of vitality back into public transportation.