MILWAUKEE — Ridership on The Hop streetcar continues to grow following a significant drop in passenger count during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • Ridership on The Hop grew in 2023

  • Return to work, festivals cited as reasons for growth

  • L-Line set to expand schedule this spring 

According to data from the City of Milwaukee 494,445 rides were given in 2023, up over 30% from 2022.

It is data that is encouraging for Milwaukee Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke. He said an increase in riders speaks to the larger rebound and growth of the downtown area.

“The activity downtown, people going back to work, utilizing this to go from work to home,” said Kruschke.

Kruschke said ridership in Feb. 2024 is up around 20% compared to Feb. 2023. Kruschke said some of the highest ridership numbers come from times when people are utilizing The Hop to get to festivals like Summerfest, Bastille Days and other events where parking may be scarce or expensive.

Kruschke said as The Hop looks to expand, having strong ridership numbers will continue to push for future extension. The L-Line, which runs along the south end of downtown to the lakefront, is expected to begin operating seven days a week later this spring. Currently, the L-Line only runs on Sundays.

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