Miami-Dade Transit

Miami-Dade Transit
Metrorail (top), Metromover (middle), and Metrobus (bottom) at Government Center
Overview
Owner	Miami-Dade County
Locale	Greater Miami
Transit type	Bus Bus rapid transit Downtown people mover Rapid transit
Number of lines	2 Metrorail lines 3 Metromover loops 90 Metrobus routes 1 Transitway
Number of stations	Miami Intermodal Center Government Center 23 (Metrorail) 22 (Metromover) 28 (South Dade Transitway)
Daily ridership	248,700 (weekdays, Q3 2023) [1]
Annual ridership	60,734,900 (2022) [2]
Chief executive	Eulois Cléckley
Headquarters	701 NW 1st Court Miami, Florida
Website	www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation/home.page
Operation
Began operation	August 2, 1960 [3]
Operator(s)	Miami-Dade Transit
Number of vehicles	817 buses 136 Metrorail cars 42 Metromover cars

Rail transport in South Florida
Legend
Brightline to Orlando Amtrak Silver Service to New York Mangonia Park West Palm Beach West Palm Beach Lake Worth Tri-Rail fare zone boundary Boynton Beach Delray Beach Tri-Rail fare zone boundary Boca Raton Boca Raton Palm Beach Broward Deerfield Beach Pompano Beach Tri-Rail fare zone boundary Cypress Creek Fort Lauderdale New River Fort Lauderdale Tri-Rail fare zone boundary Fort Lauderdale Airport Sheridan Street Hollywood Broward Miami-Dade Tri-Rail fare zone boundary Aventura Golden Glades Opa-locka Miami ■ Palmetto Miami Canal ■ Okeechobee ■ Hialeah ■ Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer ■ Northside Tri-Rail Downtown Miami Link ■ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza ■ Brownsville Hialeah Market Miami River ■■ Earlington Heights ■■ Allapattah ■ Miami Intermodal Center Miami International Airport ■■ Santa Clara ■■ Civic Center ■■ Culmer ■ School Board ■ Adrienne Arsht Center ■ Museum Park ■ Eleventh Street ■ Park West ■ Freedom Tower Biscayne Bay PortMiami (planned) ■■ Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre ■■■ Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. MiamiCentral ■■■■■■ Government Center ■■■ College North ■■■ College/Bayside ■■■ First Street ■■■ Bayfront Park ■ Miami Avenue ■■ Third Street ■■■ Knight Center ■ Riverwalk Miami River ■ Fifth Street ■ Brickell City Centre ■ Tenth Street/Promenade ■■■■ Brickell ■ Financial District ■■ Vizcaya ■■ Coconut Grove ■■ Douglas Road ■■ University ■■ South Miami ■■■ Dadeland North ■■■ Dadeland South
Amtrak, Brightline, and Tri-Rail Metrorail Metromover MIA Mover All stations are accessible
This diagram: view talk edit

Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) is the primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida and the greater Miami-Dade County area. It is the largest transit system in Florida and the 15th-largest transit system in the United States. ^[4] As of 2022, the system has 60,734,900 rides per year, or about 248,700 per weekday in the third quarter of 2023. MDT operates the Metrobus with their paratransit STS systems run by LSF. MDT also operates two rail transit systems: Metrorail and Metromover.

Metrobus operates over 93 routes, including the South-Dade Transitway. ^[5] MDT's main transit stations are Government Center in Downtown, and the Miami Intermodal Center in Grapeland Heights, which can access the Miami International Airport. ^[6]

Metrorail is composed of two rail lines (Green and Orange lines) with 23 stations radiating from the city center towards outlying neighborhoods north and south of Downtown. Metromover operates throughout the Downtown, Omni, and Brickell neighborhoods, and is composed of three rail loops and 22 stations. The opening of the Metrorail Orange Line in July 2012 significantly increased usage of the system. ^[7] As of 2013, rail fares collected were $23 million/yr and it cost $78 million/yr to operate the rail system. ^[8]

Tri-Rail is a separate entity and not controlled by MDT. Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system in the Miami metropolitan area, is directly connected at the Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer station, Miami Intermodal Center, and Government Center station.

History

In 1960, the Dade County Commission passed an ordinance creating the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to unify the different transit operations into one countywide service. This ordinance provided for the purchase, development, and operation of an adequate mass transit system by the County. These companies included the Miami Transit Company, Miami Beach Railway Company, South Miami Coach Lines, and Keys Transit Company on Key Biscayne and would be managed by National City Management Company. National City was dismissed as manager in 1974. ^[9] Over the years and under various administrations, MTA evolved into the Metro-Dade Transportation Administration, the Metro-Dade Transit Agency, the Miami-Dade Transit Agency, and is now known simply as Miami-Dade Transit (MDT).

Miami-Dade Transit, a county department of more than 4,000 employees, is the largest transit agency in the state of Florida and accounts for more than half of the trips taken on public transit in the state. MDT operates an accessible, integrated system of 93-plus Metrobus routes; the 22-mile (35 km) Metrorail rapid transit system; Metromover, a free Downtown people mover system; and the Paratransit division's Special Transportation Service. Metrobus routes cover more than 35-million miles annually, including limited service to Broward and Monroe counties. In 2004, MDT's Metrorail, Metromover, and Metrobus transported more than 96 million passengers, compared to 85 million the previous year.

2011 federal investigation

Miami-Dade Transit was undergoing a federal investigation by the Federal Transit Administration that includes several audits and a criminal investigation of the transit agency due to concerns over money mismanagement within the agency. ^[10] This caused a freezing of federal funds being granted to the county agency. In late 2010 the county manager claimed that it was 'not fraud' but rather accounting errors, poor management, and erroneous information given to the auditors that triggered the investigation, including a withdrawal of $15 million through the ECHO program that was made by a transit official two hours after a letter arrived in September 2010 from the FTA telling them withdrawals had been restricted. ^[11] The investigation and lack of funding let to emergency service cuts to Metrorail, Metrobus, and Metromover being considered by the agency by the middle of 2011, six months into the investigation and lack of funding which began in November 2010, causing MDT to lose $185 million in grant money. Assistant county manager Ysela Llort became responsible for Miami-Dade Transit after director Harpal Kapoor left in April 2011. Additionally, funding for the Metrorail airport link was jeopardized by the funding freeze. The FTA decided to continue funding under strict control in order to keep service cuts from happening. ^[12]

MDT headquarters are located in the Overtown Transit Village in Downtown Miami. ^[13]

Future

The SMART Program

The Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program involves the implementation of five rapid transit corridors in Miami-Dade County. ^[14] It includes new extensions of the current Metrorail and Metromover systems as well as the introduction of new forms of rapid transit, such as bus rapid transit (BRT).

South-Dade Transitway (South Corridor Bus Rapid Transit)

The South-Dade Transitway Corridor will become a gold standard bus rapid transit (BRT) line, including 2 terminals and 14 new iconic BRT stations, all featuring fare gates, center platform boarding, all-door and level boarding, next bus arrival screens, air-conditioned waiting areas, and other rail-like amenities. Along the transitway, signal preemption and level crossing gates will be implemented so that BRT vehicles never stop at a light. The BRT will use 60-foot New Flyer Xcelsior battery-electric articulated buses. ^[15] The project should be completed by fall of 2024. ^{[16] [17]}

North Corridor (Metrorail extension)

The North Corridor is an extension of the current Metrorail system along NW 27 Avenue from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza station to the north county line. It will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will extend the Metrorail to a station at the Hard Rock Stadium, with a stop at the Miami-Dade College North Campus. The second phase will include the remainder of the project, with a total of eight new stations added. ^{[18] [19]}

Northeast Corridor (Commuter rail)

Main article: Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project

The Northeast Corridor will feature commuter rail service (potentially Tri-Rail), ^[20] extending from MiamiCentral to the Aventura station along the existing Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) tracks. It will have seven stations for the service in Miami-Dade, with both of the terminal stations having access to Brightline. ^{[21] [22]} Service could begin as soon as 2028. ^[23]

East-West Corridor (Bus Rapid Transit)

The East-West Corridor consists of three BRT routes on dedicated bus lanes running from Tamiami Terminal to the Miami Intermodal Center and Government Center, as well as through the Blue Lagoon area. One of the routes will go on dedicated lanes, mainly along SR 836, and include four stations between Tamiami Terminal and the Miami Intermodal Center. ^[24]

In April 2023, the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) considered commuter rail service instead of BRT as the form of rapid transit for the reason that BRT is "no longer seen as practical" and that commuter rail service on the CSX Lehigh Spur has "become more flexible [on cost]." ^{[25] [26]} In January 2024, the TPO moved forward with the commuter rail plan as well as an alternative being Metromover along Flagler Street. ^[27]

Beach Corridor (Metromover extensions and bus/trolley lanes)

The Beach Corridor includes three rapid transit projects. The first is an extension of the current Metromover system along Miami Avenue from the School Board station to NW 41st Street. The second, known as BayLink, is another Metromover extension along the southern edge of MacArthur Causeway to Miami Beach, with stations in between. BayLink could begin service as soon as 2028. ^[28] The third is dedicated bus/trolley lanes along Washington Avenue from 5th Street to the Miami Beach Convention Center. ^[29]

Metrorail

Main article: Metrorail (Miami-Dade County)

A Metrorail train at Tri-Rail and Metrorail Transfer Station (2011)

Metrorail is an elevated heavy rail rapid transit system. It has two lines on 24.4 mi (39 km) of track with termini west of Hialeah, at Miami International Airport, and in Kendall.

Metrorail serves the urban core of Miami, connecting the urban centers of Miami International Airport, the Health District, Downtown Miami, and Brickell with the northern developed neighborhoods of Hialeah and Medley to the northwest, and to suburban The Roads, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and South Miami, ending at Dadeland South in Kendall.

Metromover

Main article: Metromover

A Metromover double-unit train in Arts & Entertainment District (2012)

Metromover is a free, elevated, automated mass transit people mover that runs on three loops: the Downtown Inner Loop, Brickell Loop, and the Omni Loop. The systems total 4.4 miles (7.1 km) with 22 stations at roughly every two blocks in the greater Downtown area. Metromover serves the neighborhoods of Downtown, Arts & Entertainment District, Brickell, Park West, and Overtown.

Metrobus

Main article: Metrobus (Miami-Dade County)

NABI 40-LFW, photographed in 2019

New Flyer DE60LFA at Adrienne Arsht Center Bus Terminal (2012)

The Metrobus network provides bus service throughout Miami-Dade County 365 days a year. It consists of about 93 routes and 880 buses, which connect most points in the county and part of southern Broward County as well. Seven of these routes operate around the clock: Routes 3, 11, 27, 38, 77 (last bus from Downtown Miami 1:10 am, first bus from Downtown Miami 4:10 am), L (No 24-hour service to Hialeah, all trips terminate at Northside Station) and S. Routes 246 Night Owl (served by LSF) & Route 500 Midnight Owl (County operated) which operate from midnight to 5 am. Most other routes operate from 4:30 am to 1:30 am. All Metrobuses are wheelchair accessible, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and all county buses except for private run routes are equipped with bicycle racks. Some privatized routes trucks are receiving bike racks but very limited.

Bus route 301 (Dade-Monroe Express) extends into Monroe County, reaching Marathon, where a transfer is available to a Key West Transit bus proceeding further into the Keys. With the appropriate bus transfers, one can travel all the way from Key West to Jupiter entirely on public-transit buses.

Paratransit (STS)

Paratransit/Special Transportation Services (STS) is available for people with a mental or physical disability who cannot ride Metrobus, Metrorail, or Metromover. For $3.50 per one-way trip, STS offers shared-ride, door-to-door travel in accessible vehicles throughout most of Miami-Dade County, in some parts of south Broward County, and in the middle and northern Keys. STS operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including most holidays. Service is run by private company.

Rates

See also: EASY Card (South Florida)

The "EASY Card" system is a regional fare collection system with interoperable smartcards and equipment. The following information is specific to Miami-Dade Transit:

Since October 1, 2009, Miami-Dade Transit has used the EASY Card system ^[30] for fare collection.

On December 13, 2009 paper-based bus transfers were discontinued, and bus-to-bus transfers are now free only when using an EASY Card or EASY Ticket.

• An EASY Card can be purchased for $2 at EASY Card sales outlets, vending machines in Metrorail stations, calling 3-1-1 in Miami-Dade County, or online. Money can be reloaded on to the card at the same places and locations. The card is durable plastic and lasts for 20 years from first use since 2013.
• Alternatively an EASY Ticket may be purchased with no sales charge. However EASY Tickets are limited to the fare type initially loaded onto it, and expire 60 days after purchase. ^[31] EASY Tickets also may not be purchased online or via telephone.
• With the change, paper transfers are being eliminated on transit. People paying fares in cash will need to pay full fare when transferring. Transfers will be available only by paying with an EASY Card or Ticket and using the card again within 3 hours of boarding transit. ^[32]

The current standard fare is $2.25 and reduced fare is $1.10. A standard monthly pass costs $112.50 and $56.25 for reduced fare (College Students). The monthly Metropass is loaded onto the EASY Card. Fare gates at all Metrorail stations does not accept any type of cash, ^[30] and require an EASY Card/Ticket, contactless device, or contactless debit/credit card to enter and exit the stations.

Reduced fares are available only to Medicare recipients, people with disabilities, and Miami-Dade students in grades K-12. Fare is free to kids below 42 inches (110 cm) tall with fare-paying rider. Full time college students may also purchase a College EASY Ticket to ride Metrobus or Metrorail at $56.25 at their college/university along with a valid Student ID. ^[33] Miami-Dade County employees can also receive discounted monthly rates and pre-tax savings by enrolling in the Monthly Pass Payroll Deduction program. ^[34]

All Miami-Dade senior citizens aged 65 years and older and with Social Security benefits ride free with a Golden Passport pass. Veterans residing in Miami-Dade and earning less than $22,000 annually ride free with the Patriot Passport pass.

As of August 21, 2019, and December 23, 2019 riders can use their smartphones/smartwatches and contactless credit/debt cards to board the Metrorail and Metrobus. (Accepting Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay etc.).

As part of the Better Bus Routes bus network redesign, fares are currently eliminated for all modes of transit through the end of the year.

Finances

In 2018, the annual operating expense was $552 million; annual revenue was $106 million. Each passenger trip cost $6.77. One-way rides on Metrobus and Metrorails cost $2.25; rides on Metromover were free of charge to passengers. ^{[35] [36]}

Passenger ridership

Passengers at Government Center

In February 2011, Miami-Dade Transit ridership totaled 336,067 passengers, including all Metrorail, Metromover and Metrobus lines. With a population of about 2.5 million in Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Transit accounts for 15% of the population's daily mode of transportation. Note: This figure does not include Tri-Rail, Miami's commuter rail operator.

Since the debut of Uber in the Miami area ridership has decreased each year, especially on the buses. By 2018, there were fewer riders than in 1999. In 2018, Metrorail and Metromover began to shut down earlier in the evening; the peak in-service fleet was cut by 4%; and service miles were cut by 2 million. ^[35]

Annual passenger ridership

Year	Metrobus	Metrorail	Metromover	Total ridership
1995	61,516,400	14,445,400	4,168,600	80,130,400
1996	60,466,700	14,245,000	3,847,400	78,559,100
1997	62,344,200	13,923,700	4,175,200	80,443,100
1998	62,358,100	13,298,900	4,064,900	79,721,900
1999	64,252,400	13,769,400	4,069,700	82,091,500
2000	65,689,800	14,023,600	4,256,500	83,969,900
2001	65,067,100	13,678,000	4,951,800	83,696,900
2002	63,423,500	13,932,100	5,171,700	82,527,300
2003	65,046,900	14,318,500	6,978,900	86,344,300
2004	77,909,300	15,987,600	8,686,300	102,583,200
2005	78,373,000	17,001,000	8,537,500	103,911,500
2006	83,080,500	17,388,100	8,389,500	108,858,100
2007	84,218,300	17,672,000	8,838,800	110,729,100
2008	86,409,200*	19,075,900*	8,723,700	114,208,800*
2009	73,104,900	17,792,100	7,986,100	98,883,100
2010	70,942,000	17,438,400	8,121,000	96,501,400
2011	76,858,200	18,295,500	9,219,600*	104,373,300
2016 [37]	-	-	-	96,228,800
2018 [35]	-	-	-	81,600,000

* Record highs

Weekday passenger ridership averages

Year	Metrobus	Metrorail [38]	Metromover	Total daily passengers
1998	207,048	44,871	13,269	265,188
1999	209,111	46,774	13,880	269,765
2000	212,927	47,256	14,383	274,566
2001	211,823	46,664	16,849	275,336
2002	204,941	47,064	16,444	268,449
2003	215,306	51,248	25,521	292,076
2004	234,109	55,294	28,192	317,595
2005	246,023	59,700	28,473	334,195
2006	259,375	58,358	27,042	344,775
2007	264,467 (record high)	59,708	28,058	352,233 (record high)
2008	259,018	63,710 (record high)	26,682	349,410
2009	233,858	59,992	25,883	319,733
2010	227,883	59,900	27,175	314,958
2011	245,358	62,559	29,775 (record high)	337,692

See also

• Transportation portal

• Transportation in South Florida
• Tri-Rail
• List of Rapid Transit Systems

References

1. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2022" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
3. "1960s Timeline: Travel, Tourism and Urban Growth in Miami".
4. "Transit Development Plan" (PDF). Miami-Dade County. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
5. "Miami-Dade County - Transit - South Miami-Dade Busway". Archived from the original on 2012-01-28. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
6. "Miami Central Station: Intermodal Center". MicDot. 2021-08-18. Archived from the original on 2023-05-31.
7. "Miami-Dade County - Transit - Ridership Technical Reports". Archived from the original on 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
8. Kearney, Melissa S.; Hershbein, Brad; Nantz, Greg (May 2015). "Racing Ahead or Falling Behind? Six Economic Facts about Transportation Infrastructure in the United States" (PDF). The Hamilton Project . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-04-23.
9. "History of the People's Transportation Plan – Miami-Dade County" . Retrieved 2018-10-21.
10. Martha Brannigan and Alfonso Chardy (July 7, 2011). "Miami-Dade to weigh $100M loan for ailing Transit Agency". The Miami Herald . Retrieved 2011-07-07.
11. Alfonso Chardy (December 8, 2010). "Miami-Dade Transit's federal funding freeze 'not fraud'". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
12. Martha Brannigan, Alfonso Chardy and Matthew Haggman (May 10, 2011). "Miami-Dade transit agency eyes service cuts as feds hold back money". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
13. "Director, Transportation and Public Works". miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
14. "The Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
15. "Deadline electric bus deal fuels new South Dade rapid transit". Miami Today. 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
16. "Smart Plan - South Dade TransitWay Corridor". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
17. "Five-Year Implementation Plan - Miami-Dade County" (PDF). www.miamidade.gov. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
18. "Commissioners Move Forward With Expedited Metrorail To Hard Rock Stadium". The Next Miami. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
19. "North Corridor". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
20. "Tri-Rail Coastal Link South Florida East Coast Corridor (SFECC) Transit Analysis Study". tri-railcoastallinkstudy.com. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
21. "Miami-Date County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). miamidade.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-12.
22. "Northeast Corridor". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
23. Plasencia, Amanda (October 11, 2023). "A closer look at the Northeast Corridor Rapid Transit Project, Miami-Dade's newest commuter train". NBC Miami. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
24. "East-West Corridor". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
25. Gothner, Chris (2023-04-20). "To tackle traffic, Miami-Dade officials consider new people movers, trains". WPLG. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
26. "Gears shifting from buses to rail for East-West Transit corridor". Miami Today. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
27. "East-West rapid transit pivots to two new routes". Miami Today. 2024-01-30. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
28. "Metromover To Miami Beach Expected To Open In 2028 Or 2029". The Next Miami. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
29. "Beach Corridor". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
30. "Easy Card Brochure" (PDF). miamidade.gov. July 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-04-23.
31. "Miami-Dade County - Transit - EASY Card". Archived from the original on 2012-01-04. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
32. "Transit Transfer Fees". www.miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
33. "College Discount Program". miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
34. "County Employee Discount EASY Card". miamidade.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
35. Schneckner, Jesse (22 October 2019). "Per passenger cost up 10% as transit ridership fell 8 million". Miami Today . Retrieved 2023-09-14.
36. RT&S Staff (23 October 2019). "Reliability is the only positive for Miami-Dade Transit since 2017". Railway Track & Structures . Retrieved 2023-09-14.
37. Public Transit Systems Response to Ridership Decrease (PDF) (Report). Office of the Commission Auditor. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
38. "Ridership Report Archives". American Public Transportation Association . Archived from the original on 2012-07-29.

External links

• Transportation & Public Works
• Citizens' Independent Transportation Trust
• APTA ridership information