Posted on 09/08/2014 8:10:26 AM PDT by BenLurkin
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Metrolink ridership is down nearly 600,000 passengers since 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The drop in ridership has caused revenue losses, which have left the rail line debating between cutting back services or boosting fares, the paper said.
Metro officials blame the downturn on the worst recession since World War II.
The train system serves six counties and more than 20 million people across the Los Angeles metro area.
“Ridership should be growing, given the size of the area Metrolink serves,” Richard Katz, a former state legislator and longtime board member for the railroad, told the newspaper. “Though we have been attracting riders, we’ve had a hard time holding on to them.”
During the recession, the unemployment rate ranged from 8 percent to 13 percent across the region and the number of annual boardings dropped from a peak of almost 12.33 million in 2008 to 11.14 million in 2011, according to The Times.
By 2013, after more emphasis was placed on customer service and building ridership, annual boardings had recovered to just over 12 million. Since then, ridership has dropped to 11.74 million, The Times reported.
The dip, along with rising costs for fuel, operations and safety projects, prompted the railroad to trim service this year and seek more money from the five county transportation agencies that help fund the line.
These areas belonged to the customers then. They belong to the hoodlums now.
Either the recession has already ended and this is a lie, or it hasn't ended, and we've been lied to by the Obama administration. Which is it?
You don’t need a transit system if you don’t have a job to commute to.
Yup.
They let the cat out of the bag there!
Hope nobody at CBSLA loses their job for telling the truth.
Nothing they can’t correct with a few well-placed, long-term freeway closures...
Oh, right, they don't go to those places. They will stop at the LA County Fair, if you're in the first two cars, and happen to catch them in a good mood.
so, in summary,....worsening economy + inflation = less customers. But, the media says everything is getting better. Hmmmmm...
“You don’t need a transit system if you don’t have a job to commute to.”
BINGO .
For me, you don’t need a wedding video if you can’t afford to invite more than 10 people to your wedding.
Duh.
Clearly, they need high speed rail...
I see that jumped out at you also.
YES!! High speed rail will bring the riders back!..said no one with common sense.
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