The Light Rail Transit Line 2 recorded its highest passenger ridership in nine years on Aug. 25, carrying a total of 250,578 passengers despite operating with fewer trains, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said Wednesday.

According to the LRTA, the figure was 145,188 passengers higher than the 105,390 recorded on the same date last year, representing a 137.76% increase, according to the LRTA.

The Aug. 25 ridership was the highest for LRT-2 since Oct. 6, 2017, when the railway recorded 251,646 passengers.

The surge came as the rail line continued to face a shortage of available trains, with only eight or nine train sets deployed on some days as other coaches undergo repairs, the LRTA said.

The agency said it implemented additional crowd control measures at stations amid the growing number of passengers and limited train capacity.

“Nananatiling malaking hamon para sa LRTA ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon” for the LRTA, the agency said, noting that its existing fleet is insufficient to meet the continued increase in passenger demand.

The LRTA said it is working to secure additional government funding to purchase new trains and increase the capacity of the LRT-2.

The agency assured commuters that it remains focused on improving its services and providing safe, reliable and convenient rail travel as passenger demand continues to grow.