In the six years that the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority has managed operations of passenger rail service between Sacramento and San Jose, the Capitol Corridor route has maintained a pattern of continuous growth, and is now the third busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the nation.
Since October 1, 1998, when CCJPA commenced operational management, ridership has improved 152% with continued increases every year, revenue is up 110% and farebox recovery ratio has improved 30%. In the same period, despite limited state budget finances, the number of daily train trips has tripled from eight to 24 (with 18 on weekends) through reinvestment of existing funds towards service and infrastructure improvements.
Ridership continued to grow at a record pace during the first quarter of the Capitol Corridor’s Fiscal Year 2005. For October through December 2004, ridership increased 9.5% and revenue was up 18% compared to the same quarter last fiscal year.
Eugene Skoropowski, Managing Director of CCJPA, credits the substantial growth to the successful partnerships with six transportation agencies along the Capitol Corridor route; Amtrak (the operating partner), the California Department of Transportation (which provides state funding to the service), and Union Pacific Railroad (owner of the railroad tracks).
“Union Pacific and Amtrak have contributed to the growth of the business through a 10-minute reduction in travel times, plus improved on-time performance reaching an average of 92% for the three months, which ranks among the best on-time performance of any mode of intercity travel,” he said.
Capitol Corridor trains provide service along a 170-mile route between Sacramento and the Bay Area (San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose) with 24 weekday trains and 18 on weekend trains. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) is a unique organization charged with providing the administrative management of an intercity passenger rail service. The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) provides the full-time management staff, Amtrak operates the service for the CCJPA, and Union Pacific Railroad dispatches the trains and maintains the tracks. Funding is virtually 100% from passenger fares and state transportation funds.
For more information on the CCJPA’s performance, please download the 2004 Annual Performance Report [5.6m].