Detroit’s QLine says ridership is up, wait times are down
Operator M-1 Rail is touting the streetcar ahead of a proposal to hand it over to the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan
Audio By Carbonatix
[
{
"name": "GPT - Leaderboard - Inline - Content",
"component": "35519556",
"insertPoint": "5th",
"startingPoint": "3",
"requiredCountToDisplay": "3",
"maxInsertions": 100,
"adList": [
{
"adPreset": "LeaderboardInline"
}
]
}
]
Could things be turning around for Detroit’s beleaguered QLine?
According to M-1 Rail, the nonprofit that operates the streetcar system, more than one million people took a ride in 2023 — a 50% increase from 2022 and 25% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
M-1 Rail says the increased ridership is due in part to improved wait times, with streetcars arriving within 15 minutes or less 70% of the time in 2023. In its first years since launching in 2017, the QLine was prone to delays due to illegally parked cars, traffic, and other obstacles. The streetcar shares Woodward Avenue with motorists, using a curbside track advocated for by Detroit real estate interests.
The ridership boost is also due to the return of activities downtown. M-1 Rail says that according to a spring 2023 on-board survey of riders, 60% of respondents said they ride the QLine at least three times per week for work, entertainment, dining, shopping, and education.
The QLine also dropped its fare when it resumed operations from the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021, and remains free to use. In 2022, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to subsidize the QLine with $85 million through 2039.
“Our investments in service improvements, establishing closer connections with residents, businesses, and events along the route, and the continued development of our locally operated team made reaching this milestone possible,” M-1 RAIL president Lisa Nuszkowski said in a statement. “We are grateful for our riders, supporters, and team for helping make this goal a reality.”
The nonprofit is touting the streetcar ahead of a proposal to hand over QLine operations to the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, which would bring in funding from taxpayers in the greater Detroit area. A previous effort to pass a millage for the RTA failed in part due to the reluctance of leaders in suburban Oakland and Macomb counties to support a 3.3-mile streetcar system in downtown Detroit.
Subscribe to Metro Times newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
