Metromover
| Company type | Public transit system |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | April 17, 1986 |
| Headquarters | Miami , United States |
Area served | Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West, Arts & Entertainment District |
| Products | Automated people mover service |
| Owner | Miami-Dade Transit |
| Website | www |
Metromover is a complimentary automated people mover network managed by Miami-Dade Transit in Miami, Florida. It serves the neighborhoods of Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West, and the Arts & Entertainment District. The system offers direct connections to the Metrorail at both Government Center and Brickell stations, and provides links to Metrobus through dedicated loops located at Government Center and Adrienne Arsht Center station. Operations commenced on April 17, 1986, initially covering the Downtown/Inner Loop, with expansions to the Omni and Brickell Loops completed on May 26, 1994.
Comprising three distinct loops and 21 stations spaced approximately every two blocks, the system facilitates easy access to major Downtown Miami landmarks. Currently, Metromover accommodates an annual ridership of , averaging daily boardings.
Among the trio of U.S. downtown people mover systems—which also include the Jacksonville Skyway and the Detroit People Mover—Metromover stands out as the most heavily utilized and is unique in being fully completed. It is widely acknowledged as a driving force behind the revitalization of downtown Miami.
History
In 1987, just a year after opening, the system set a record with 33,053 riders on a single Saturday, largely due to the attraction of the new Bayside Marketplace. That same year initiated plans for extending service to Brickell and what was then known as Omni (now Arts & Entertainment District), which were finalized by 1994. Until November 2002, Metromover imposed a 25-cent fare; this charge was removed following approval of a half-penny transit tax, as fare collection costs nearly equaled revenue, and eliminating fares was anticipated to increase Metrorail patronage.
Following the transition to a fare-free model from 2002 through 2005, ridership nearly doubled from 4.7 million to roughly 9 million trips annually. This surge was driven by factors including population growth, escalating fuel prices, and intensified downtown development. Although ridership declined during the late-2000s recession, it rebounded by 2012 alongside downtown's population increase, sustained high gas prices, and economic recovery. Notably, in early 2011, Metromover usage rose amid a spike in gas prices despite concurrent declines in both Metrorail and Metrobus patronage linked to employment drops. Between January 2010 and January 2011 alone, Metrorail ridership grew by 7%, with expectations that both systems would continue gaining users as fuel costs increased.
During planning for the Omni and Brickell expansions, projections estimated daily ridership would reach 43,000 by the year 2000 under the fare-based model—a target that has yet to be surpassed by the current fare-free operation.
Operations
The Metromover network consists of 21 ADA-compliant stations distributed throughout Downtown Miami and Brickell, positioned at intervals of about two blocks. It links prominent office buildings, residential areas, hotels, and shopping centers. Key points of interest served include the Stephen P. Clark Government Center, American Airlines Arena, Arsht Performing Arts Center, Cultural Plaza (housing the Miami Art Museum, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, and Miami Main Library), Bayside Marketplace, Mary Brickell Village, Miami-Dade College, Museum Park—which contains Perez Art Museum Miami and Frost Science Museum—and the financial district of Brickell.
The Downtown or Inner Loop operates clockwise, stopping at all Downtown stations except Third Street. The Outer Loop—comprising the Brickell and Omni Loops—runs counterclockwise; it shares tracks within Downtown but bypasses Miami Avenue Station. The Brickell Loop extends service southward into Brickell, whereas the Omni Loop covers the northern Arts & Entertainment District area. This setup features a central circular loop with trains running counterclockwise on outer routes connecting peripheral destinations—a configuration comparable to New York JFK Airport’s AirTrain system. Trains on the Inner Loop typically run in paired two-car sets; Outer Loop trains generally operate single cars. Each vehicle can accommodate over 90 passengers.
Maintenance activities are centralized at a facility located downtown at SW 1st Ave and SW 1st St, positioned between Government Center and Third Street stations along the Outer Loop where track lines diverge.
Service hours run daily from 5:00 am until midnight, with modifications during special events. During peak periods, Inner Loop trains arrive every 90 seconds; off-peak intervals extend to three minutes. Outer Loop trains arrive every five to six minutes normally but accelerate to intervals of two-and-a-half to three minutes on shared track segments.
The system’s construction required an investment of approximately $153.3 million. In fiscal year 2007, operational costs for all loops totaled $8.9 million alongside ridership reaching 8.7 million trips—resulting in an operational expense close to $1.02 per trip excluding capital expenditures. While riding Metromover remains free of charge, transfers onto Metrorail or Metrobus incur fees of $2.25 or $1.10 respectively.
Stations
The Metromover system includes 21 stations, all situated within the boundaries of Miami city.
| Station | Lines | Connections | Opened | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Stn | Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb | Metrorail: Green, Orange Lines Metrobus: 2, 7, 7A, 9, 11, 51, 77, 93, 95, 119 (S), 120, 207, 208, 246, 277, 500, 836 Express Miami Trolley: Coral Way Broward County Transit: 95, 595 |
| ||
| Template:Stn | Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb | Metrobus: 7, 7A, 836 Express Brightline (at MiamiCentral) |
| ||
| Template:Stn | Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb | Metrobus: 7, 7A, 9, 120 |
| ||
| Template:Stn | Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb | Metrobus: 9, 93, 119 (S), 120 |
| ||
| Template:Stn | Template:Rcb Template:Rcb Template:Rcb | null |
|
| Station | Lines | Connections | Opened |
|---|
Rolling stock
The Metromover fleet consists of 29 Bombardier Innovia APM 100 units. The initial batch of twelve vehicles arrived in 2008, replacing the original twelve Westinghouse C-100 cars that had been in service since 1984. These newer models offer enhanced aerodynamic design and are equipped with onboard CCTV systems. Starting in July 2010, an additional seventeen Bombardier cars were delivered to substitute most of the second generation of seventeen Adtranz C-100 vehicles manufactured in 1992.
Ridership
Presented below is a chart illustrating the average monthly weekday ridership organized by Calendar Year. Ridership experienced a notable increase in 2002 following the removal of fares after voters approved a half-penny tax. After several years of upward trends, usage began to decline from 2017 onward, paralleling significant decreases in Metrobus and Metrorail patronage. The highest ridership was recorded in early 2020 with over 30,000 daily riders before a sharp downturn occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| # | Month | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | 27,900 | 29,700 | 28,000 | 31,800 | 32,200 | 32,800 | 34,400 | 32,600 | 28,700 |
| 2 | February | 25,600 | 30,700 | 31,000 | 32,700 | 34,700 | 33,200 | 35,300 | 32,900 | 30,100 |
| 3 | March | 25,600 | 30,500 | 32,400 | 32,500 | 35,300 | 35,000 | 36,400 | 34,100 | 31,100 |
| 4 | April | 26,300 | 30,700 | 29,700 | 30,400 | 31,100 | 32,400 | 34,700 | 31,700 | |
| 5 | May | 26,800 | 29,200 | 28,900 | 28,900 | 30,300 | 29,700 | 32,200 | 29,300 | |
| 6 | June | 25,800 | 29,600 | 29,500 | 32,500 | 30,200 | 30,100 | 31,300 | 28,100 | |
| 13 !Year Average !27k !30k !30k !31k !32k !32.5k !33k !30k |
| Fiscal Year | Ridership | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 12,700 | — |
| 1996 | 12,000 | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 13,500 | +12.5% |
| 1998 | 13,269 | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 13,880 | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 14,383 | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 16,849 | +17.1% |
| 2002 | 16,444 | 0% |
| 2003 | 25,521 | +55.2% |
| 2004 | 28,192 | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 28,473 | +1% |
| 2006 | 27,042 | -5% |
| 2007 | 28,058 | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 26,682 | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 25,883 | -3% |
| 2010 | 27,175 | +5% |
| 2011 | 29,775 | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 31,000 | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 32,800 | +5.8% |
Average weekday ridership
This dataset combines ridership figures for Metrorail and Metromover, reflecting their integrated development and the frequent daily transfers occurring at Government Center and Brickell stations.
| Year | Annual ridership (including Green & Orange lines) |
Average weekday ridership (including Green & Orange lines) |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 18,614,000 | 63,100 |
| 1996 | 18,092,400 | 60,100 |
| 1997 | 18,098,900 | 60,800 |
| 1998 | 17,363,800 | 58,140 |
| 1999 | 17,839,100 | 60,654 |
| 2000 | 18,280,100 | 61,639 |
| 2001 | 18,629,800 | 63,514 |
| 2002 | 19,103,800 | 63,508 |
| 2003 | 21,297,400 | 76,769 |
| 2004 | 24,673,900 | 83,486 |
| 2005 | 25,538,500 | 88,173 |
| 2006 | 25,777,600 | 85,400 |
| 2007 | 26,510,800 | 87,767 |
| 2008 | 27,799,600 | 90,392 |
| 2009 | 25,778,200 | 85,875 |
| 2010 | 25,559,400 | 87,075 |
| 2011 | 27,515,100 | 92,334 |
| 2012 | 28,498,500 | 104,000 |
| 2013 | 30,531,100* | 105,500* |
*Highest recorded figures
Notable incidents
- September 10, 2008: A fatality occurred when a man was hit by a Metromover vehicle while attempting to retrieve a hat that had been blown away by wind.
- July 21, 2010: A collision between two northbound Metromover cars resulted in minor injuries to sixteen passengers.
- February 5, 2014: A man lost his life after jumping in front of a Metromover car at Riverwalk Station.
Extension to Port of Miami
In May of 2011, a feasibility study was initiated to assess the possibility of extending the Metromover system to PortMiami. The objective was to create a direct rail connection linking Metrorail with the new MIA Mover, facilitating seamless transit between the airport and the seaport. The proposed study was projected to cost approximately $120,000 and take at least one year to complete. However, this initiative has remained in the proposal stage without advancement since around 2014.
South Beach extension
Multiple initiatives have been proposed to extend Metromover service into southern Miami Beach. A prominent example is the ambitious Resorts World Miami project announced in the Arts & Entertainment District in 2011. This plan envisioned a Metromover route stretching from Downtown Miami across the Venetian Causeway to South Beach’s vicinity near the Miami Beach Convention Center at approximately 17th Street. This would mark Miami Beach’s inaugural connection to rail-based mass transit. Potential stops included Alton Road, Meridian Avenue, and Washington Avenue—locations that would improve access to a major tourist hub and support future system growth.
In more recent years, discussions have revived concepts for an independent light-rail line known as BayLink, which is anticipated as a public-private venture designed to connect Miami with Miami Beach via an at-grade route.
Initially planned as a monorail running along the southern edge of MacArthur Causeway from Downtown Miami to South Beach by Miami-Dade authorities; however in November of 2022 budget limitations and the desire for a direct one-seat ride led officials to abandon the monorail concept in favor of extending the existing Metromover network.
Northern extension
A county blueprint released in March of 2021 outlines plans to extend the Metromover northward from School Board station along North Miami Avenue. This expansion aims to serve key neighborhoods such as Midtown, Wynwood, and Miami Design District. Part of this plan includes constructing an infill station called Herald Plaza at the former site of the Miami Herald building. Ultimately this corridor is intended to establish a transit connection between the Metromover system and Miami Beach.