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Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) rail ridership “was fairly flat” during the first five months of fiscal-year 2011, even after fare increases were implemented for the year, agency officials said in a prepared statement.

WMATA’s rail ridership registered an increase on weekends and for after-midnight trips, but WMATA’s bus ridership declined vs. the same period in FY2010.

“Despite a slowly improving economy, Metro is holding its own with respect to ridership,” said Carol Kissal, WMATA’s deputy general manager of administration and chief financial officer.  “In fact, we expect to see growth return gradually and we’re projecting an increase in rail ridership of about 1 percent over FY2010 levels in FY2012.”

A separate trend report indicated that a recent fare change for peak-of-peak travel had little impact on commuters’ transit choices. However, the report also included rider feedback that suggested the agency’s fare tables are difficult to understand and the distance-based fares are complicated, agency officials said.