The TECO Line Streetcar received a late holiday gift, with data showing it surpassed its monthly ridership record in December 2022 with 118,575 trips, which is the highest monthly ridership in more than 20 years.
The TECO Line Streetcar has broken several ridership records over the past year with the previous monthly record achieved in March 2022 with 107,956 trips reported. The streetcar service also ended Fiscal Year 2022 (October 2021 - September 31, 2022) with all-time annual ridership of more than a million trips taken.
The record ridership is attributed to population growth along the streetcar line, visitors in town for events such as the ReliaQuest Bowl and an overall return in Hillsborough County tourism.
"When we opened the streetcar system, there were very few people living in downtown and Ybor City," said Michael English, president, Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. "Now, people are riding it, not just for fun, but now they're riding it to get to work, to go to school. It has just been astounding. The streetcar is a viable transportation option in downtown and Ybor City."
