July 2026 ridership marks the highest monthly Trolley ridership in MTS history and continued post-pandemic growth
San Diego – While San Diego's recent hot weather was record-breaking, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) was also on a record-setting hot streak. Frequent service, strong rider demand and major event service helped MTS reach a record ridership milestone in July 2026. During the month, MTS recorded 4.1 million passenger trips on its Trolley system, marking the first time in agency history that monthly Trolley ridership has surpassed four million rides.
"Record-breaking ridership reflects the region's growing reliance on fast, frequent and reliable public transit," said Stephen Whitburn, MTS Board Chair and San Diego City Councilmember. "More people are choosing the Trolley to get to work, school, sporting events and major destinations throughout the region. This milestone demonstrates the vital role public transit plays in keeping San Diego moving."
July's ridership indicates MTS's continued recovery from the pandemic, when transit systems nationwide experienced historic declines in ridership. Since then, MTS has rebuilt ridership through investments in service, safety and customer experience, helping position the agency amongst the nation's strongest-performing systems. In Fiscal Year 2025, MTS ridership surpassed 80 million annual passenger trips for the first time since before the pandemic, marking more than 95% of its pre-pandemic ridership. Ridership continued to grow in Fiscal Year 2026, recording 81.2 million passenger trips in the year.
"This achievement reflects years of work to make transit a more attractive option for people across our region," said Sharon Cooney, MTS Chief Executive Officer. "Whether someone is commuting to work, attending a Padres game or heading to Comic-Con, more riders are choosing the Trolley because it offers a convenient, reliable and sustainable way to travel. Surpassing four million Trolley trips in a single month is a powerful sign that public transit is thriving in San Diego."
The Trolley system's growth is a result in increased service frequency, major regional events, population and employment growth along transit corridors, continued demand for affordable transportation options, and the UC San Diego Blue Line extension to La Jolla and University Town Center. The UC San Diego Blue Line recorded the most ridership in July with more than 2.36 million passenger trips, followed by the Green Line with 971,266 trips and the Orange Line with 587,174 trips.
The record-setting total also includes 132,315 trips taken on the Special Event Line during Comic-Con. Even without Comic-Con ridership, Trolley ridership totaled 3,973,288 trips, making July the highest ridership month on record for MTS's Trolley system. The previous Trolley monthly record was 3,938,761 trips in October 2024.
July 2026 Trolley ridership surpassed the previous two Julys, which recorded approximately 3.87 million and 3.92 million Trolley trips, respectively. Additionally, MTS buses recorded 3,082,492 passenger trips in July. The milestone further reinforces the Trolley's growing role as the backbone of San Diego's transit network and highlights the effectiveness of MTS's ongoing investments in frequent service, system improvements and customer-focused enhancements.
The agency's national ranking rose from 21st before the pandemic to 13th in 2025. For a region that ranks 18th nationally in population, San Diego's transit ridership ranks among the nation's top 10, underscoring the system's importance to the region it serves.
About MTS
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) operates 93 bus routes and four Trolley lines in 10 cities and unincorporated areas of San Diego. MTS is a leader in advancing initiatives to create a greener, cleaner and better-connected transit system in San Diego. Each weekday, more than 250,000 passenger trips are taken throughout the MTS system, taking people to work, school, health appointments and other essential trips. In FY 2026, MTS served more than 81 million riders. In 2026, MTS was recognized by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) as the Outstanding Public Transportation System in North America among agencies providing 50 million or more annual passenger trips. For service schedule updates, news, alerts and more information on how you can use public transportation, go to www.sdmts.com.
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