(The following article by John Charles Robbins was posted on the Holland Sentinel website on June 15.)
HOLLAND, Mich. — The Pere Marquette passenger rail line, which makes its way through Holland daily, is on track for another good year.
That’s the report from Steve Bulthuis, transportation program manager for the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council.
The MACC’s transportation committee reviewed the latest passenger counts at its meeting Monday in Holland Township.
“Last year we had an excellent year for ridership, and I’m happy to report we’re having another strong year,” Bulthuis said.
The Amtrak passenger line runs from Grand Rapids to Chicago, and operates on a fiscal year beginning each Oct. 1.
Bulthuis said passenger counts for the 2004 fiscal year show an 11.7 percent jump over the year before.
“We had a strong fall. It dropped a little in January, as it always does. But we had a strong spring … and we hope to finish big,” Bulthuis said.
Revenues are on the rise as well.
Year-to-date receipts through May show revenues are up about 11.6 percent over the same period last fiscal year.
“Both numbers are very encouraging,” Bulthuis said.
Passenger numbers for the Holland station show 5,676 riders in October 2003, a significant increase over the 2,808 who took the train in October 2002.
Other passenger tallies are listed here for fiscal 2004, with comparative months from fiscal 2003 in parentheses: 6,994 riders in November 2003 (3,455 in November 2002); 6,858 in December 2003 (6,294); 4,984 in January 2004 (4,667); 4,912 in February (4,817); 7,286 in March (5,989); 7,736 in April (6,562); 7,237 in May (6,417).
“We’ve got great momentum going here,” Bulthuis said.
Continued strong promotion is an important part of keeping that forward motion alive, he said.
Bulthuis said some of the credit for steady increases in ridership needs to go to Westrain, a business-government coalition working to preserve passenger rail service in West Michigan.
Westrain, of which the MACC is a member, played a pivotal role in saving the rail line several years ago, and continues aggressive marketing and promotion of the passenger rail.
Other factors include Amtrak’s own “rail sale,” that is, offering reduced ticket prices on days when passenger counts have been traditionally low — Mondays through Thursdays.
Other positive changes on Amtrak’s end to improve customer service include new scrolling digital signs at the Holland and Grand Rapids depots to keep track of trains, and automated ticket machines.
Travelers can purchase tickets ahead of time over the Internet or by calling a toll-free number, and then pick up their tickets at the station from the machine.
“It’s been a success. We’re pleased. … it has been an enhancement to service,” Bulthuis said.