(The Associated Press circulated the following on August 20.)
FRESNO, Calif. — Amtrak ridership on the San Joaquin Valley route set a record in July thanks to soaring gas prices.
Company officials say for the first time more than 100,000 passengers took the route that runs from Bakersfield to the Bay Area in a single month. Ridership was 32 percent higher in July than a year earlier.
Amtrak officials say higher prices for gasoline and airline tickets are helping the company break all-time records. Nationwide, more than 2.75 million people took trains in July.
More than 777,500 passengers bought tickets on the San Joaquin line from October to July, a 17 percent increase over the same period a year ago.