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Rail News Home Passenger Rail

10/17/2011



Rail News: Passenger Rail

Michigan, Missouri Amtrak routes ramped up ridership


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Amtrak routes in Michigan and Missouri recently reported annual or monthly ridership gains.

Michigan services set new ridership records and collected $27.7 million in ticket revenue in fiscal-year 2011, which ended Sept. 30, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Although track work and freight slowdowns between Chicago and Detroit impacted Wolverine service and contributed to “slower growth than anticipated,” all three Amtrak routes in the state boosted ridership and increased ticket revenue, MDOT officials said.

The Wolverine posted 503,290 riders, up 5 percent compared with FY2010, and increased ticket revenue 11 percent to $18.8 million. FY2011 ridership on the Blue Water service rose 18.6 percent to 187,065 while ticket revenue soared 22.3 percent to $5.8 million. And on the Pere Marquette route, ridership increased 4.7 percent to 106,662 and ticket revenue climbed 9.8 percent to $3.2 million.

Meanwhile, Amtrak’s Missouri River Runner service posted an 8.5 percent year-over-year ridership gain in September, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).  The service registered 14,150 riders during the month compared with 13,038 in September 2010.

“The number of passengers on the Missouri River Rider continues to grow because the service has become consistently reliable,” said Michelle Teel, MoDOT’s multi-modal director.