RailPAC Alert: Ridership Report for Amtrak California Trains
FROM Capitol Corridor Manager Eugene K. Skoropowski
We just received the January 2007 ridership and revenue numbers from
Amtrak. I am still in shock.
On January 22, Union Pacific started a major track project. On January 17,
to accommodate this trackwork, we temporarily suspended 8 of our 32 weekday trains. The on-time performance of service in January was a lackluster, at 71.6% (and worse at the end of the month than at the beginning)……. go figure.
It is a scary thought at what the ridership will be when the
trackwork is done at the end of February, and the on-time reliability gets
back up to the 90% level……. we will be desperate for added coaches on
at least 4 of our eight trainsets. Our capacity growth from hereon out
will be primarily in longer trains, not more trains.
Adding 2 coaches to each set of rolling stock (8 sets) equals a 60%
increase in capacity. Clearly, our efforts need to be on more coaches.
Summary of January ridership and ticket revenue results:
Capitol Corridor:
· 114,588 passengers +14.3% vs. FY06 and a record for the month
· $1,337,960 ticket revenue +20.6% vs. FY06
Note: While we do not have final numbers, the revenue-to-cost ratio is
well above last year’s record high (46%), and this year will likely be
50% or better.
Remember, we were at 29.8% recovery just before the
CCJPA entered into its first Amtrak agreement starting October 1, 1998,
with only 8 daily trains on the line. Also, since we started the 32
train weekday schedule/22 trains on weekend days in late summer, our
October, November and December were each up 10% in passengers and an average of 19% in revenue.
January makes 4 straight months of record
growth in both ridership and revenue.
Pacific Surfliner:
· 189,098 passengers +2.6% vs. FY06 and a record for the month
· $2,956,144 ticket revenue +4.5% vs. FY06
San Joaquins:
· 51,925 passengers -4.5% vs. FY06
· $1,704,390 ticket revenue +2.9% vs. FY06
Ridership on the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquins was likely impacted this
month by planned track work on the UP and BNSF.
Eugene K. Skoropowski
Managing Director
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority