Even though gas prices have dropped recently, daily ridership on Metro rail service this month is about 7 percent higher than last August.
Metro is averaging 757,000 riders per weekday, compared to 707,000 in August 2007. That follows a July that saw a 5.5 percent ridership increase over last July.
Ronald Kirby, transportation planning director for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, says the numbers may be a sign that people are making fairly permanent changes to their commuting habits.
