Reported by Gene Skoropowski
In spite of the big Thanksgiving weekend travel surge, ridership growth for November 2008 in all of California was quite modest, likely reflecting the impacts of both the economic downturn, as well as falling gas prices.

Sustained on-time performance on the Capitol Corridor has helped keep riders, and improved on-time performance of the San Joaquins is also likely helping growth there. Only the Capitol Corridor saw ticket revenue growth in November (+11.4%), while both the Pacific Surfliners and San Joaquins saw slight ticket revenue declines in spite of a small increase in riders.

Capitol Corridor (November 2008):

140,288 passengers +2.7% vs. November 2007
This is a new November record, and keeps the Capitol Corridor third busiest route in the country, still by a wide margin
Passengers for the last 12 months: 1,719,797, again pushing a bit higher the passing of the 1.7 million barrier!

$2,031,930 November 2008 ticket revenue +11.4% vs. November 2007

The farebox recovery revenue-to-cost ratio for November is 48%, reflecting the increased Amtrak cost base due to labor contracts and fuel adjustments (FY to date 47.5%)

On-time performance for November ‘delivered to the customer’ was: 93.2% the best of any corridor service in the country, reflecting sustained Union Pacific performance at 98% and continued good Amtrak operational performance. (FFY to date: 92.4%) This is our best month ever for on-time performance.

This is a good start to the Fiscal Year, and Capitol Corridor on-time performance still remains well above the premier Acela Express service on the Northeast Corridor (85.1%).
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Pacific Surfliners (November 2008):

228,224 passengers +0.8% vs. November 2007, but still the second busiest route in the nation, by a wide margin

$4,147,517 November 2008 revenue: -2.7% vs. November 2007

On-time performance for November 2008: 76.9% (FFY to date: 78.0%)
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San Joaquins (November 2008):

81,550 passengers +3.8% vs. November 2007

$2,473,246 November 2008 revenue: -0.5% vs. November 2007

On-time performance for November: 90.8% (FFY to date: 88.1%)
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Total California Intercity Corridor Ridership for November 2008: 450,062

Total Northeast Corridor ‘Spine’ ridership for November 2008: 864,200
For November 2008, the California Corridors are 52.1% of Northeast Corridor ‘Spine’ Boston-Washington ridership

Total Northeast Corridor ridership for November 2008 with branches to Springfield, MA; Albany, NY and Harrisburg, PA: 1,072,770
For November 2008, the California Corridors are 42% of the total Northeast
Corridorridership

Eugene K. Skoropowski
Managing Director
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority