VRE Challenge: Making Service Reliable, Ridership declining Options

[NickG]

From the Free Lance-Star, 9/17/06:

"VIRGINIA Railway Express has the ominous distinction of being the only commuter [rail]road that is suffering a decline in ridership during a time of unprecedented gasoline prices when most commuter lines and Amtrak corridors are experiencing record patronage," wrote Lee Gregory in the September issue of Railpace Newsmagazine.

Falling numbers of riders, he wrote in his Allegheny Observer column, "may lead to a fare increase--which will further depress ridership."

Late trains, broken-down trains, canceled trains and generally unreliable service have been driving passengers away. Many of us cringe when we hear the VRE loudspeakers crackle to life with the words "May I have your attention please."

The full story is here.