OAKLAND, CALIF. September 5, 2006 – The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) announces that more direct service to and from Sacramento is now available with the addition of eight new trains. The 33% increase in direct intercity train service between Sacramento and the Bay Area/San Jose began August 28, 2006. Coupled with a 52% increase in train service between Oakland and San Jose, this is the largest service expansion in Capitol CorridorÃs history. The new schedule now offers riders 32 weekday trains to and from Sacramento.
When CCJPA began managing the Capitol Corridor service in 1998, there were just eight daily trains and 463,000 passengers annually. In FY 2005, nearly 1.3 million passengers rode the Capitol Corridor trains. This number is expected to jump further with the increase in service for the Sacramento area.
“The additional service on the Capitol Corridor represents a 30% service expansion in what is already the third busiest intercity ridership route in the country,” said Roger Dickinson, CCJPA Board of Directors Chair. “We are very pleased to offer these added trains without any additional operating funds. There is no federal capital funding or federal operating funding for this service.” Chair Dickinson continues,” the only sources of revenue are passenger fares and the state operating support, which hasnÃt changed in six years.”
“Ridership has tripled in the past eight years, and continues to grow. In 1990, Californians voted to build an intercity passenger rail system, and approved the funding to carry it out. In a time of soaring gas prices and growing gridlock we can offer Northern Californians a real travel choice,” said Eugene Skoropowski, CCJPA Managing Director. “Passengers have asked for more frequent service all along the corridor, and weÃre delivering it to them, with no additional state operating funds or federal support. Now, with 32 weekday trains, the Capitol CorridorÃs Oakland-Sacramento segment offers the same number of trains as AmtrakÃs Boston-New York segment of the Northeast Corridor, and represents the highest level of Amtrak intercity passenger train service outside of the Northeast Corridor.”
The region recognizes the importance of providing transportation alternatives to and from Sacramento. “The ease and convenience of access to Capitol Corridor trains for our frequent passengers and tourists will be greatly improved with the extension of Sacramento Regional TransitÃs light rail to the Sacramento Valley Station,” says Steve Cohn, Sacramento City Councilmember and CCJPA Board Member.
“The Capitol Corridor service expansion is very important for Sacramento, as transport improvements like this make our city even more attractive, and it also provides a quality transportation choice for all travelers along the entire I-80 corridor,” says Roger Dickinson. “The increase in trains also enhances the communities along the Capitol Corridor service route, like Davis, and throughout Sacramento, Yolo and Solano Counties, because their residents will benefit from reduced traffic congestion.”
With more trains, riders will have greater flexibility in managing their work and leisure hours. They also have the choice to work or relax on the train in Wi-Fi connected cars. Each train also features CafÈ cars that offer food and beverage service, including California wines.
The CCJPAÃs service expansion plan, in development for more than seven years, was made possible through the investment of $75M in State public transportation funds to upgrade and add track infrastructure. The benefits of these projects include the increased track capacity for additional trains, reduced travel times, and improved reliability.
According to Eugene Skoropowski, CCJPA Managing Director, “With this latest service increase for Sacramento and the added trains to and from San Jose, Capitol Corridor continues to provide a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, reliable, and convenient transportation alternative connecting Northern California communities.”