(The Associated Press circulated the following on January 12, 2010.)
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — More Missourians chose to travel by train last month.
The Missouri Department of Transportation says ridership on Amtrak’s route between St. Louis and Kansas City was up by 16 percent in December from the same month in 2008.
The increase was the third-highest among Amtrak’s 27 short-distance routes that are supported by states.
Ridership between St. Louis and Chicago also rose by nearly 16 percent last month. Nationwide, Amtrak’s passengers increased by 5 percent.
The Missouri transportation department credits the increase partly to a reduction in travel delays along tracks between Kansas City and St. Louis.