Amtrak Capitol Corridor sets ridership record

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 11, 2005 | by ,

SACRAMENTO--The number of passengers riding the Capitol Corridor trains between Auburn and San Jose hit a record high in May, Amtrak officials said.

More than 115,000 people took the route in May -- the most during any month since service began in December 1991. That was an increase of 9.5 percent over May 2004.

Revenue from ticket sales rose by about 20 percent over the previous May to a new high of nearly $1.3 million. The route is now Amtrak's third-busiest in the country.

The growth comes even as riders have complained of late trains. Changes in the dispatching system used by Union Pacific Railroad caused on-time performance to drop to 88 percent this month, from 92 percent in January, Amtrak said.