calwatch
Lead Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2010
- Messages
- 428
https://sjjpa.com/wp-content/uploads/SJJPA-Board-Packet-January-25-Web-Version-3.pdf
After nearly eight months in operation, ridership on the Morning Express Train (701) remains very low and current trends suggest it is not likely to increase. Low ridership on the Morning Express Train has negatively impacted San Joaquins revenue and farebox recovery. Poor on-time performance in this time slot has certainly impacted the ability to attract and sustain Morning Express ridership, but based upon passenger comments, the limited amount of service available and the large amount of pad-time at the end of the schedule have also contributed to low ridership. The impact from the low ridership of the Morning Express Train on revenue is exacerbated since most of the Morning Express riders are taking relatively short distance trips and many are taking advantage of discounted (multi-ride) fares. Farebox recovery has also been declining since Amtrak has shown very little operating cost savings from reducing the distance served by the Morning Express Train.
In order to increase San Joaquins ridership, revenue and farebox recovery, staff are recommending that SJJPA take action to return to full-corridor service for all 7 daily round trips (7 days a week) in April/May 2019. This change will be coordinated with the upcoming Capitol Corridor schedule change. A Scheduling Team which includes BNSF, Amtrak, Caltrans, CalSTA and SJJPA has been meeting since November to develop the best schedule to achieve the objectives. The Team is recommending that this schedule be a “slotted” schedule where all San Joaquins trains meet at specified double-track sections and a pulsed schedule where trains leave from Bakersfield and Oakland every two hours. The Team is also working on distributing the pad time more evenly throughout the corridor and overnight track maintenance windows. These changes will help increase ridership and revenue and also set the stage for being able to re-introduce Morning Express Service as part of future service expansion.
Also, SJJPA is looking at an express bus from Madera to San Jose because Bakersfield residents wanted it. I think most LA basin residents would take one of the cheap intercity buses or fly rather than go on three vehicles (bus-train-bus), but it would help the Central Valley to Bay Area market tremendously.
After nearly eight months in operation, ridership on the Morning Express Train (701) remains very low and current trends suggest it is not likely to increase. Low ridership on the Morning Express Train has negatively impacted San Joaquins revenue and farebox recovery. Poor on-time performance in this time slot has certainly impacted the ability to attract and sustain Morning Express ridership, but based upon passenger comments, the limited amount of service available and the large amount of pad-time at the end of the schedule have also contributed to low ridership. The impact from the low ridership of the Morning Express Train on revenue is exacerbated since most of the Morning Express riders are taking relatively short distance trips and many are taking advantage of discounted (multi-ride) fares. Farebox recovery has also been declining since Amtrak has shown very little operating cost savings from reducing the distance served by the Morning Express Train.
In order to increase San Joaquins ridership, revenue and farebox recovery, staff are recommending that SJJPA take action to return to full-corridor service for all 7 daily round trips (7 days a week) in April/May 2019. This change will be coordinated with the upcoming Capitol Corridor schedule change. A Scheduling Team which includes BNSF, Amtrak, Caltrans, CalSTA and SJJPA has been meeting since November to develop the best schedule to achieve the objectives. The Team is recommending that this schedule be a “slotted” schedule where all San Joaquins trains meet at specified double-track sections and a pulsed schedule where trains leave from Bakersfield and Oakland every two hours. The Team is also working on distributing the pad time more evenly throughout the corridor and overnight track maintenance windows. These changes will help increase ridership and revenue and also set the stage for being able to re-introduce Morning Express Service as part of future service expansion.
Also, SJJPA is looking at an express bus from Madera to San Jose because Bakersfield residents wanted it. I think most LA basin residents would take one of the cheap intercity buses or fly rather than go on three vehicles (bus-train-bus), but it would help the Central Valley to Bay Area market tremendously.