(The following report by C. Johnson appeared at News10.net on January 1.)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ridership is up by double digits on all three Amtrak California intercity routes in the past year, including the Capitol and San Joaquin Corridors.
The Capitol Corridor route between Sacramento and the Bay Area experienced a 14.4 percent increase in ridership for its fiscal year 2007 ending in September, according to Eugene Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority. The route served just under 1.5 million riders in the past year. Skoropowski said that each month since October 2006, the route has charted at least a 10 percent increase in users compared to the same month the previous year.
In 2006 Union Pacific completed a long-term track project which allowed the Capitol Corridor to increased the number of daily trains from 24 to 32 and Skoroposki attributes the increased business in part to more trains and greater reliability. He also said more folks are taking the train for “mental health” – giving them a break from the increasing traffic congestion on Interstates 80, 680 and 880. Higher gas prices may play a role too, he added.
Ridership is split among daily commuters (25 percent), once a week regular riders (25 percent) and full-fare users (50 percent).
The Capitol Corridor is also seeing revenues up 22 percent, according to Skoropowski.
The San Joaquin Corridor is also reporting ridership growth growth. For example, ridership in November 2007 was up 13.1 percent compared to November 2006. The San Joaquin trains travel between Bakersfield and Stockton and Bakersfield and Oakland.
Amtrak California also operates the Pacific Surfliners which run between Paso Robles and San Diego.