NEC commission report: Northeast Corridor provides big boost to U.S. economy

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is shared by eight commuter railroads and Amtrak, and moves a workforce that contributes $50 billion annually to the U.S. economy, according to a new report by the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission.

Titled, "The Northeast Corridor and the American Economy," the report states that the corridor expands business and employment opportunities within "reasonable" commuting distance of NEC stations. Seven million jobs are within five miles of an NEC station, almost one-third of all jobs in the NEC region, the report states.

The NEC carries about 710,000 commuter-rail passengers daily. In addition to leisure and and tourism passengers, Amtrak's NEC services transport 22,000 business travelers per day, according to the report.

To read the full report, click here.