QLINE ridership drops somewhat after free period, carries about 3,000 per day

Two weeks after pay service began on the QLINE, ridership has dropped somewhat, but metro Detroiters have not abandoned the city’s newest transit system.

M-1 Rail, the group that operates the 3.3-mile streetcar line on Woodward Avenue, estimates ridership is about 60% of what it was when rides were free. That period, which began with the system’s May 12 launch, ended Sept. 5.

“We fully expected ridership to dip a little bit when we made this transition,” said Dan Lijana, an M-1 Rail spokesman, “but we are very confident … we’ll see an uptick” as more people move to the Woodward corridor and as more events are hosted at the recently opened Little Caesars Arena.

Ridership is hovering around 3,000 rides per day with “huge variations by the day,” depending in part on weather and special events, according to Lijana, referencing the period from Sept. 5 to 17.

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He noted that the number of riders on recent Saturdays has approached what the system experienced during the free period.

Comparing streetcar operations around the country is difficult because of the many variables, but Lijana said the QLINE appears to be in better shape at this point in its operations than some other systems, notably Atlanta which saw a “precipitous” drop in riders after it began charging.

“We’re doing at least as well, maybe better, than the other systems,” Lijana said.

The QLINE has a team of “ambassadors” who answer rider questions and ask people if they have purchased tickets. M-1 Rail estimates that fewer than half of its riders have paid for rides since pay service began but that is expected to increase as the encouragement to pay and spot checks shift more toward enforcement. Riders who do not buy a ticket could potentially face a $150 fine.

During the initial 13-day pay period, riders have paid approximately $42,500 in fares, which comes from the system's numerous types of passes, Lijana said.

The most basic passes cost $1.50 for three hours or $3 for a day, with discounts available for senior citizens and others.

The system has continued to struggle with its bus arrival tracking. Lijana said the vendor, NextBus of Emeryville, Calif., is trying to work out bugs in its technology, and the system was taken off-line last week.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.

