Bay Area Rail Line Sees Increased Ridership
OAKLAND (KCBS) -- In what could be an encouraging economic sign, the Capitol Corridor is reporting an increase in ridership on the rail line linking Sacramento and the Bay Area.
David Kutrosky, the managing director of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, said they have seen a double digit increase in passengers in November compared to the same time last year.
"What we hear from our users and riders is that it's a stress-free way of traveling," he said.
KCBS' Patti Reising Reports:
Kutrosky said he sees it as a sign of slow, but steady improvement in the economy and good service.
"Our on-time performance has been the best in the nation for the last 14 months running," said Kutrosky.
And he said the end of furlough Fridays helped ridership as well, as more state workers took to the rails as they reported back to work.
Kutrosky is anticipating even more growth in the future which he said will necessitate adding more rail cars to existing trains and expanding service in Silicon Valley and the Sierra Foothills.
He also said voters have been generous in approving bond measures that help fund rail projects and seem willing to do anything to get out of their cars, as long as it's affordable and convenient.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
