DC Metro: Shutdown cost $5.5 million

The shutdown of the federal government last month cost the Washington, D.C. Metrorail $5.5 million in lost revenue, officials with the subway system said Thursday.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokeswoman Morgan Dye said the subway system saw a 13 percent ridership reduction during the two-week government shutdown, which equated to 1.7 million trips not taken.

{mosads}The Washington Metro system, which is normally the second busiest transit system in the U.S., relies heavily on federal workers for its normal ridership levels.

The D.C. Metro, which carries more than 200 million passengers per year normally, trails only the New York City subway system in daily ridership.

Metro responded to the shutdown by shortening its trains due to the reduction in riders, though the agency said it did not alter its schedule.