"Ridership of Amtrak Explodes" Letter to Editor Appears in News and Messenger, January 5, 2010

Here is a reprint of the Letter to Editor that News and Messenger published January 5, 2010:

Ridership of Amtrak Explodes

Thank you for reprinting Ray Reed's Dec. 21 article in the News & Messenger. He was first to publish Amtrak's startling official performance figures following October's first month of the first daily train in the D.C.-Lynchburg Corridor in 30 years, first subsidized train in Virginia and first direct service in 170 years to points North of New York City.

Mr. Reed reported that:

—Actual Ridership (8,500) was double Expected Ridership.

—Ridership on competing Crescent Service remained strong.

—Ridership (all trains) increased 68 percent (highest in Virginia) at the Lynchburg Station and 37 percent (Fourth highest in Virginia) at the Charlottesville Station from Oct 2008.

—Fares produced 87 percent more revenue than expected.

—Virginia's subsidy was only $48,000, rather than the budgeted $242,000.

Virginia published additional ridership details at http://www.AmtrakVirginia.com, showing that Manassas and Culpeper recorded the second highest (54 percent) and third highest (52 percent) increase in ridership in Virginia, between October 2008 and October 2009.

Such breathtaking performance figures suggest that people are drawn to the many benefits of intercity passenger trains: safer, less stressful, more economical for singles and couples, more enjoyable, and more reliable than driving a car on crowded highways of U.S. 29, or Interstates 81, 66 and 95, filled with too many cars and trucks and too many road-raged, cell phone distracted drivers.

Unofficial November and December figures show rides per day reaching 460 or three times the projected 140! On a recent Tuesday, 25 boarded the morning train at Manassas. Any slowdown in ridership will be countered by the increased promotion at stations and Web sites where persons access the beautiful flyer (see above); and by "word of mouth" from satisfied riders.

During three months of operation, Amtrak cannot meet the demand for schedules at Union Station. Amtrak, VRE and Virginia are considering allowing trains to stop at Burke Centre on weekends. Virginia could soon ask Amtrak to estimate the cost of a feeder bus service from Bristol to Lynchburg. Other bus connections are also being considered. Finally, Amtrak will introduce the more convenient, paperless tickets next year.

Based on initial October official figures and later unofficial figures, we should expect a new day of intercity train travel in the D.C.- Manassas-Lynchburg Corridor!

DANIEL PEACOCK

Manassas

Ridership between DC and Lynchburg Hits 460!

Ridership for the New Amtrak Train was 300 for the AM run and 160 for the PM run at the Manassas Station on December 27, 2009 (Sunday) for a grand total of 460, the highest number that my brother and I had recorded for a single day. That actual number of riders (460) is over three (3) times the expected number of riders (140) estimated in the June 2, 2009, Agreement between Amtrak and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT).

Amtrak’s Lynchburg-DC Line Beats Projections First Month [October 2009]

Ray Reed, Lynchburg News-Advance, wrote a story, Dec 16, 2009. The News and Messenger, the local Manassas and Prince William Co paper, reprinted it Dec 21.

Article Highlights:

• Actual Ridership (8,500) was double Expected Ridership in 1^st month of operation, October 2009.
• Ridership on the competing Crescent Service between DC and Lynchburg was also strong, though the normal fare on the Crescent ($78) is double that of the new train ($38).
• Ridership at Lynchburg Station (new train and Crescent) increased 68% from October 2008.
• Ridership (both trains) at Charlottesville Station increased 37% from October 2008.
• Fares produced 87% more revenue than expected.
• Virginia’s subsidy was only $48,000, rather than the budgeted $242,000.
• Amtrak extended its reduced, one way, regular DC to Lynchburg fare of $38 on the new train through Mach 2010.
• Trains were on time 75% of the time.
• Kevin Page, Chief of Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT), said that “A better indicator of performance will be known after the train has operated for three full months….”

My Commentary:

• Amtrak’s official figures for performance for the first month (October 2009) of operation are truly breathtaking.
• My sources for unofficial ridership figures for November and December suggest that ridership is still strong.
• The expected slowdown in the winter months will be countered by the increased promotion of the service

1. at stations and websites where persons can access the beautiful flyer and,

2. by “word of month” as satisfied riders spread the word of this cost effective, safe, convenient, less stressful, alternative to driving one’s car through the US 29/I-81/I-66/I-95 Corridors.