(The following story by Shelli DeRobertis appeared on the Fontana Herald News website on August 27.)
FONTANA, Calif. — The full parking lot of empty cars at the Orange Way Metrolink station in Fontana has become a typical sight as many passengers find traveling by train more affordable than feeding their gas tanks.
On a Thursday morning in August, the station was flocked with people who waited to board a railcar and travel to the greater Los Angeles area.
Some passengers were regular commuters to work while others chose the train to take them to their destination of the day.
Josefa Clavecillas retrieved her ticket from the on-site ticket vending machine as she prepared to ride home to Wilmington after visiting her son in Fontana.
“We like the Metrolink,” she said. “It’s easy and comfortable.”
She paid $5.25 for her one-way senior citizen ticket.
“It’s cheaper than gas,” she said.
Metrolink’s southern California passenger service operates 55 stations in five counties, where 155 railcars provide seats for riders.
But this year 7,000 more people have become familiar with those seats since gas prices began increasing, according to Denise Tyrrell, spokesperson for Metrolink.
The August statistics show a 16.9 percent maintained increase in ridership from the prior year, she said.
“There’s no other reason we can name except the gas prices,” she said.
The percentage of ridership increase peaked at 17 percent in the month of July, Tyrrell said, after gas prices hit $4 per gallon in June.
“We’re seeing something we’ve never seen before because generally it slows down in the summer,” she said. “On a normal month we expect to see a two percent increase.”
But instead, there has been a double-digit jump in ridership this summer, she said.
The Metrolink station brought its tracks to Fontana nearly 15 years ago, where it continues to serve residents.
Donna Hardy said she has been a regular commuter for seven years, riding the train from the Orange Way station to her job in Los Angeles.
“It’s not such a wear and tear on your car, and traffic is bumper to bumper on weekdays, so it’s a very convenient way to get to work and travel every day,” she said.
But she said there are a lot more riders now, and she knows that gas prices are the reason.
“Everyone is real friendly. I can hear them talking among each other, and gas prices are why they are on the train,” Hardy said.
Metrolink can also transport race fans to the upcoming NASCAR weekend at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana Aug. 29-31.
A special train has been dedicated to charter fans on Aug. 31, with a round-trip ticket price of $25.
Selected Metrolink regular-service trains will make stops at the Auto Club Speedway at 9300 Cherry Avenue on Aug. 29 and 30.
Metrolink tickets to the Auto Club Speedway during the race weekend cannot be purchased through station vending machines.