Amtrak ridership in fiscal year 2008 increased to 28,716,407, marking the sixth straight year of gains and setting a record for the most passengers using Amtrak trains since the National Railroad Passenger Corporation started operations in 1971. The fiscal year ended Sept. 30. All Amtrak trains across the system saw increases in ridership. The 28.7 million total for the period Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 30, 2008, topped the 25,847,531 for the previous 12 months by 11.1 percent. Total ticket revenue for the fiscal year reached $1.7 billion, a 14.2 percent increase over the $1.5 billion in FY07.

Said Alex Kummant, president and CEO of Amtrak, “Highway and airway congestion, volatile fuel prices and increasing environmental awareness all contributed to Amtrak’s successful year, as did our continually improving service and on-time performance. With the recent passage of a reauthorization bill, which includes a significant state and federal capital matching grant program, we also look forward to expanding state partnerships to provide more rail service in growing corridors nationwide.” Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system. For more information, call 800-USA-RAIL or visit www.Amtrak.com.
 

Reader Comments

login or register to comment

     

Share:

More Headlines Like This ...