- Posted January 31, 2013
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
MDOT & Amtrak announce ridership record on three passenger rail routes
January 22, 2013--Nearly 800,000 passengers traveled on Amtrak trains in Michigan in 2012, setting a highest-ever ridership record for the state's three routes. Michigan's routes include the three-times-a-day Wolverine Service (Pontiac/Detroit-Chicago), once daily Blue Water Service (Port Huron-East Lansing-Chicago), and once daily Pere Marquette Service (Grand Rapids-Chicago).
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials cited increased awareness of train service and a positive focus on the future of rail travel as the most important reasons why ridership numbers are increasing. In addition, Amtrak operated extra trains in Michigan to supplement regularly scheduled Wolverine service (between Chicago and Kalamazoo/Ann Arbor) over the extended Thanksgiving holiday, and added extra capacity and frequencies over Christmas and New Year's, enhancing the strong performance.
There were 792,769 riders overall, with 495,277 traveling the Wolverine, 187,991 passengers on the Blue Water, and 109,501 passengers on the Pere Marquette. This compares to 780,655 total riders in 2011. The Wolverine service had an especially strong finish to the year, posting large ridership gains over the last four months compared to 2011: up 19.7 percent in September, up 9.5 percent in October, up 8.6 percent in November, up 6 percent in December.
Revenue from the three routes also jumped to a best-ever high of $27.8 million in 2012, with Wolverine revenue at $18.4 million, Blue Water at $6.1 million, and Pere Marquette at $3.3 million.
Amtrak operates intercity trains in partnership with 15 states, including Michigan's Pere Marquette and Blue Water services, which are supported by state grants.
MDOT: Working with our partners at airports, bus systems, marine and rail to find innovative solutions for Michigan's transportation systems.
www.michigan.gov/drive | www.twitter.com/MDOT_Rail | www.facebook.com/MichiganDOT
Published: Thu, Jan 31, 2013
headlines Ingham County
- Foster Swift selects Taylor A. Gast as Business & Tax Practice co-leader
- MLaw Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic partners on suit against online “ghost gun” seller
- Law firm donates legal fees to ACLU of Michigan
- Dual JD student explores criminal defense work
- Wayne State University daylong symposium promotes civil discourse
headlines National
- 50 Years of Service: ABA has been a ‘stalwart ally’ for LSC funding
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work
- Lawyers’ ‘barrage of personal attacks’ on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says
- Longtime prosecutor resigns after judge tosses him from case, citing Perry Mason-type revelations
- 24% of law students expect to work in public service, survey says