10 years and 7.5 million trips later, Cincinnati's streetcar rolls on

By the numbers: The system recorded about 846,000 trips in 2022 before jumping to more than 1.1 million in 2023, its largest annual increase, Lori Burchett, the city's deputy director of streetcar services, tells Axios.

• Early modeling from 2011 projected roughly 1.6 million annual rides.
• Burchett notes those figures were planning estimates, not guarantees, and didn't anticipate the pandemic's disruption of service and downtown activity.

Zoom in: Riders today include commuters, families and visitors, with noticeable surges during major events such as BLINK and primetime Bengals games.

• But growth isn't limited to event days, as ridership is trending upward across all days of the week, she says.

Catch up quick: The Connector became fare-free in September 2020, and ridership has grown since.

• It's difficult to separate the impact of free fares from Cincinnati's broader post-pandemic recovery, Burchett says, but eliminating fares also makes the streetcar easier to access and speeds up boarding.

The price tag: The streetcar has cost roughly $3.5 million-$4.5 million annually to operate since 2016, according to Burchett.

• Funding comes from local, state and federal grants, advertising and sponsorships, plus parking fees and fines.

What's next: The streetcars have an expected lifespan of 25-30 years, meaning replacement isn't imminent.

• The city plans grant-funded technology upgrades following a system study this year, including potentially adding real-time information and passenger displays at stations.