Mode detail
Light Rail
Light rail: electric rail service that can run in the street, at grade, or on its own alignment.
Boardings
Nationwide, annual
Operating cost
As reported and in 2024 dollars
Largest Light Rail operators, FY2024
| # | Agency | Service | Boardings | Operating cost | Cost / ride | Subsidy / ride | Fare recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Los Angeles Metro
Los Angeles, CA
|
Directly operated | 43,287,009 | $627,644,423 | $14.50 | $14.00 | 3.4% |
| 2 |
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System
San Diego, CA
|
Directly operated | 39,649,485 | $141,969,351 | $3.58 | $2.83 | 21% |
| 3 |
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Boston, MA
|
Directly operated | 36,668,303 | $265,901,444 | $7.25 | $5.83 | 19.6% |
| 4 |
Sound Transit
Seattle, WA
|
Directly operated | 29,843,190 | $329,575,538 | $11.04 | $9.72 | 11.9% |
| 5 |
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
San Francisco, CA
|
Directly operated | 28,230,682 | $240,826,682 | $8.53 | $8.03 | 5.9% |
| 6 |
Portland TriMet
Portland, OR
|
Directly operated | 23,393,585 | $251,178,563 | $10.74 | $9.88 | 7.9% |
| 7 |
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas, TX
|
Directly operated | 22,102,282 | $267,297,838 | $12.09 | $11.43 | 5.5% |
| 8 |
Metro Transit
Minneapolis, MN
|
Directly operated | 15,489,194 | $100,123,049 | $6.46 | $5.62 | 13.1% |
| 9 |
New Jersey Transit Corporation
Newark, NJ
|
Purchased transportation | 14,823,161 | $104,954,184 | $7.08 | $6.63 | 6.4% |
| 10 |
Utah Transit Authority
Salt Lake City, UT
|
Directly operated | 13,964,839 | $105,183,238 | $7.53 | $6.64 | 11.9% |
| 11 |
Houston METRO
Houston, TX
|
Directly operated | 13,652,169 | $102,937,813 | $7.54 | $7.34 | 2.6% |
| 12 |
RTD-Denver
Denver, CO
|
Directly operated | 11,161,755 | $163,376,837 | $14.64 | $13.85 | 5.4% |
| 13 |
Valley Metro Rail, Inc.
Phoenix, AZ
|
Purchased transportation | 10,215,129 | $75,131,514 | $7.35 | $6.68 | 9.1% |
| 14 |
Sacramento RT
Sacramento, CA
|
Directly operated | 6,783,370 | $88,444,920 | $13.04 | $11.99 | 8% |
| 15 |
(St. Louis) Metro
Saint Louis, MO
|
Directly operated | 6,752,816 | $100,868,778 | $14.94 | $13.95 | 6.6% |
| 16 |
Charlotte Area Transit System
Charlotte, NC
|
Directly operated | 5,804,651 | $58,562,405 | $10.09 | $9.32 | 7.6% |
| 17 |
New Jersey Transit Corporation
Newark, NJ
|
Directly operated | 4,914,883 | $28,898,462 | $5.88 | $4.92 | 16.4% |
| 18 |
Valley Transportation Authority
San Jose, CA
|
Directly operated | 4,723,010 | $136,390,816 | $28.88 | $27.83 | 3.6% |
| 19 |
Baltimore MTA
Baltimore, MD
|
Directly operated | 4,471,100 | $60,727,467 | $13.58 | $12.96 | 4.6% |
| 20 |
Pittsburgh Regional Transit
Pittsburgh, PA
|
Directly operated | 3,397,749 | $82,349,566 | $24.24 | $23.40 | 3.4% |
| 21 |
NFTA - Metro Bus & Rail
Buffalo, NY
|
Directly operated | 2,394,940 | $31,978,783 | $13.35 | $11.85 | 11.2% |
| 22 |
Hampton Roads Transit
Hampton, VA
|
Directly operated | 867,648 | $14,163,453 | $16.32 | $15.31 | 6.2% |
| 23 |
The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Cleveland, OH
|
Directly operated | 808,055 | $13,838,393 | $17.13 | $15.73 | 8.1% |