(The following story by Paul Edward Parker appeared on the Providence Journal website on April 30.)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Amtrak’s Northeast corridor posted January ridership and revenue numbers well ahead of both last year and the national passenger rail company’s budget.
Amtrak cited improved on-time performance, faster service, higher gasoline prices and poor competition from the airline industry as factors in the increases.
The Northeast corridor includes stops in Westerly, Kingston and Providence along the route that runs from Boston to Washington.
Revenue climbed 18 percent over last year for the month of January, according to recently released figures. That beat the budget by 14 percent. The Acela high-speed service posted a 22-percent gain over last year, with Northeast regional trains seeing a 14-percent increase.
Amtrak’s January revenues in the Northeast corridor were $67.7 million, 57 percent of the company’s total revenues of $119.1 million for the month. Amtrak’s total January revenues were up 15 percent compared with a year ago and 11 percent compared with budget projections.
Revenues also climbed because of a fare increase that did not dampen ridership, which increased 13 percent versus last year and 12 percent versus the budget. The Northeast corridor carried 790,000 passengers in January, 39 percent of overall ridership for the month of more than 2 million. The Acela saw a 12-percent increase in riders, and regional trains saw a 13-percent increase. Amtrak’s total January ridership was up 12 percent compared with last year and 10 percent compared with budget.
As glowing as January’s performance was, it didn’t quite live up to December, when the Northeast corridor saw revenues up 19 percent over the previous year and ridership up 14 percent.
Looking at year-to-date figures, based on the federal fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, the Northeast corridor’s revenues of $317.9 million were up 19 percent compared with last year, with Acela up 24 percent to $158.5 million and regional trains up 15 percent to $159.1 million. Overall, Amtrak was up 15 percent to $553.4 million.
For ridership in the same period, the Northeast corridor was up 13 percent to 3.6 million, Acela up 13 percent to 1.2 million and regional trains up 13 percent to 2.5 million. Overall, Amtrak was up 11 percent to 9.1 million riders.