Oakland, CA – Capitol Corridor reported record ridership for the second quarter of fiscal year 2003. Ridership was up 6.3% during the first three months of this year with 285,420 passengers traveling along the route. Capitol Corridor trains provide service between Sacramento and the Bay Area (San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose) with eleven daily roundtrips (a twelfth roundtrip begins on April 28, 2003).
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) Managing Director Eugene Skoropowski credited Amtrak management’s creativity in devising a new schedule that both increases service while allowing more maintenance time for the now heavily-used Capitol Corridor trains. The CCJPA contracts with Amtrak for operation of the state-supported Capitol Corridor route. “By analyzing the equipment cycling, identifying locations to improve schedule conflict areas and by redeploying the assignments of existing train crews, Amtrak was able to help us implement an increased level of service for the CCJPA and our customers while keeping costs to a minimum,” Skoropowski said. “The bottom line is that we will have more service and still live within the appropriated state budget. This is a ‘win-win’ for all.”
The combined ridership on the three state-supported routes is up 18.5% in this fiscal year compared to the same period in FY03. In total, these three California intercity rail corridors are in Amtrak’s top five busiest routes.
