Average weekday ridership during the first month of TRAX operation was 85 percent higher than expected, the Utah Transit Authority announced Monday.
The agency released passenger totals for December on its light-rail mass transit system, which began revenue service Dec. 6.An average of 25,904 one-way passengers boarded TRAX along the 15-mile line from 10000 South in Sandy to the Delta Center.
The agency had projected 14,000 daily boardings during its first year and expected just 23,000 average daily riders in 2010.
UTA spokesman Dennis McElroy said UTA expects ridership to level off in January but remain well ahead of projections. Holiday shoppers and revelers are believed to have accounted for a good percentage of riders in December.
UTA also said 28,268 people rode during the opening celebration Dec. 4. Only limited service was offered, and some equipment problems were encountered.
The following Saturday, when UTA again waived its $1 one-way ticket charge but operated on a normal schedule, 43,311 riders climbed aboard, the agency said.
UTA officials said they do not yet have a systemwide ridership figure that includes buses and trains. But that information should be available soon, they said.
This week, UTA employees will count passengers on both trains and buses. They will try to calculate how many TRAX riders are new to public transit and how many are bus riders taking the train as part of their commute.
UTA also plans to examine how its bus-train transfer system is functioning.