Riders are streaming back to Metro. In a report on NBC News4 last week, Metro General Manager Randy Clarke said February 25 was Metrorail's busiest day since the pandemic.
BTS spoke with Charlie Scott, Metro’s senior government relations officer for Maryland, for a deep dive on what’s driving riders’ return.
“Ridership is up for a number of reasons,” Scott said. “Part of it is federal and private-sector return-to-office policies, but it’s also just a result of the efforts we’ve made to improve the system.”
He said system-wide crime is down 40% and, thanks to agreements with local jurisdictions, there are more police and special police patrolling stations.
“We compare ourselves to peer agencies across the country, and the reliability and safety of our bus fleet and the Metrorail system leads the country,” he added. “So, all of that combines to make people more safe, secure, and able to rely on Metro.”
While riders should always maintain awareness of their surroundings, he said Metro now also has a new communication option for anyone in a situation where they feel unsafe.
“You can directly text our Metro Transit Police at 696873 — which equates to the letters ‘myMTPD’ — to report something,” he explained.
Bethesda Ranks High in Ridership
Scott said the Bethesda Metro station is the 24th busiest out of all 98 stations in the Metrorail system — and has some notable differences from other stations.
“Traditionally, Bethesda has been one of our most balanced stations,” he said. Metro’s suburban stations tend to have more riders departing during the morning and returning in the evening, he explained, while the downtown D.C. stations tend to have more arriving in the morning and departing in the evening.
“But Bethesda has about as many people in both commute periods,” he said. “The Bethesda station sees over 10,500 entries and exits on an average weekday.”
He provided a link for curious BTS newsletter readers who might want to track local ridership: Ridership Data Portal | WMATA.
Summer Closure Coming in 2026
Scott pointed out that as part of the Purple Line’s construction — which he hastened to note is not a Metro project — the Red Line has felt some significant impacts.
Last summer, Red Line stations on the system’s east side were closed down to accommodate Purple Line work. Similar work will shift to the Red Line’s west side in 2026.
“In the summer of 2026, the Bethesda Metro station will be closed from about Memorial Day to Labor Day for Purple Line-related construction,” he said.
Scott said Metro’s summer 2026 work will remove panels built into the Bethesda station’s original structure in order to open a new entrance on the south side, allowing it to connect directly to the Purple Line.
“A new mezzanine structure will then be built over the tracks on the south side of the station to support that entrance,” he explained.
Scott said Metro would be coordinating with Montgomery County DOT and BTS prior to the closure. Bus shuttles will connect riders between the Medical Center and Friendship Heights stations.
He said they might also look into asking the County to suspend parking along parts of Wisconsin Avenue to enable buses to merge into traffic more easily and make the corridor as free-flowing as possible.
“We do this kind of major work during the summer because that’s the least congested time, as schools are out and more people leave the area for vacations,” he said.
The short-term inconvenience will offer long-term advantages for riders.
“The Purple Line will create more transit options for everyone in the region, and especially anyone in Bethesda who’s trying to get to the other side of the Red Line,” Scott added. “The Purple Line trip between Bethesda and downtown Silver Spring will only be ten minutes. So, it will be a quick way to get across the corridor.”
Scott said Metro would launch a robust public awareness effort about two months in advance of the closure so everyone can plan ahead to use mobility alternatives.
New Route Alignments & Payment Options
On June 29, the agency will launch its newly streamlined bus network to meet riders’ needs throughout the region. On that date, the system will have all new schedules and routes designed to be less circuitous and more efficient.
The changes are the result of two years of public outreach efforts. He said the process paralleled Montgomery County’s Ride On Reimagined initiative, and the vision for both systems was to be more responsive to today’s mobility needs for both work and leisure.
“Metrobus started way back in 1973 with the acquisition of four bus companies, and many of our routes date back that far,” said Scott. “Most other transit agencies have done a similar revamp across the U.S.”
Also starting this summer, users will gain the ability to pay by credit or debit card as they approach the fare-payment turnstiles.
“Riders will be able to just tap their credit or debit card and go,” Scott said.
Speaking of payments, District 16 Delegate Marc Korman is sponsoring the Metro Funding Modification Act of 2025 (HB0467), which would index Metro’s dedicated funding to inflation. Scott said Korman’s bill improves provisions dating back to 2018 when the region established dedicated capital funding of $500 million annually — but without any indexing for inflation.
“Korman’s bill indexes that amount to grow with inflation and then by 3% a year — contingent on D.C. and Virginia passing similar legislation,” explained Scott.
