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| January 15, 2010
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Fourth Quarter Ridership Sets New High |
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Amtrak set a record high for ridership in the October to December quarter, the railroad's president and CEO said Tuesday during his "State of the Railroad" address at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington.
There were 7.2 million passengers carried on Amtrak trains during Fourth Quarter 2009, Joseph Boardman said. That's 1.4 percent above the previous record of 7.1 million set during Fourth Quarter 2007. Boardman credited the increase to record Thanksgiving holiday ridership and heavy bookings throughout December. Boardman says the good news about ridership combined with the Federal Railroad Administration's plans to award $10.5 billion in high-speed and passenger rail grants this year mean Amtrak starts the new year full of optimism. "The days of wondering if Amtrak is going to survive another year are behind us," he said. "This year and the years ahead are, and will be, focused on growth." Questions regarding this article may be directed to editor@aashtojournal.org. |