Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.
Amtrak ridership in the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 increased to 28,716,407,
marking the sixth straight year of gains and setting a record for the most passengers using
Amtrak since it started in 1971. Ridership on Amtrak’s California routes continued to climb
in September, the last month of the federal fiscal year.
The San Jose-San Francisco/Oakland-Sacramento-Auburn Capitol Corridor posted its
highest-ever September ridership, carrying 144,747 passengers, up 24.7 percent compared
with September 2007. The corridor also posted record on-time performance of 93.8 percent.
Ridership for the full fiscal year rose 16.6 percent to 1.7 million. Ridership on the San Diego-Los Angeles-San Luis Obispo Pacific Surfliner rose 1.7 percent
to 215,497 passengers. FY2008 ridership totaled 2.9 million, up 7.1 percent vs. FY2007.
The San Francisco/Oakland-Sacramento-Bakersfield San Joaquins boosted year-over-year
ridership 15.2 percent in September, carrying 75,844 passengers. For the full fiscal year, ridership
rose 18 percent to 929,611.
California comprises nearly 20 percent of the customers that ride Amtrak nationally.
I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.