Amtrak's ridership is on rise; does it save?(News)(In Transit)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), July, 2006

Byline: Joseph Ryan Taking Amtrak across the state is cheaper than driving, right? In many cases, no. Yet more people lately are riding the state- and federally subsidized rail agency. Nearly a million folks hopped on Amtrak trains in Illinois from July 2005 to last June, state officials say.

That's about 11 percent more than last year. Politicians chalk this up to high gas prices. "Here in Illinois, we continue to see growth in passenger rail as gas prices hover near the $3 mark," state transportation secretary Timothy Martin said in a statement. Certainly, everyone is looking to save at the pump. In the Chicago area, a gallon of unleaded gas is fetching a record average of $3.23. Maybe some just assume they are saving money by taking the...