Thousands of Northern California Travelers Hop on Board Capitol Corridor Trains as Gas Prices Skyrocket Capitol Corridor February 2011 Ridership up 14%

OAKLAND, CALIF., March 10, 2011 — To avoid pain at the pump, in February thousands of Northern California travelers ditched their cars to ride Capitol Corridor trains instead. Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) officials announced a remarkable 14% increase in ridership when comparing 2011 February ridership to the same period last year. “As gas prices skyrocket, more travelers are riding our trains,” CCJPA Chair Bob Franklin said. “This huge spike in ridership is similar to the increase we experienced in 2008, when gas prices soared to the $4.00 mark.”

High Gas Prices & Reliable Service Attract More Riders The combination of high gas prices, an improving economy, Capitol Corridor’s 96% on-time performance and affordable fares make Capitol Corridor intercity passenger rail service a viable transportation mode. “For more than two years, the Capitol Corridor has held the top spot in the nation for reliable passenger rail service,” Franklin added. “Even after gas prices eventually went below $3 in June 2009, travelers continued to use our service. Customers discovered that there are many activities you can do while riding the Capitol Corridor that you can’t do while driving: texting, using your laptop, sleeping or even enjoying a glass of wine. Our on-time performance, train frequency, comfortable and stress-free rides combined with rising gas prices make Capitol Corridor a convenient, green and affordable alternative to driving.”

About Capitol Corridor The Capitol Corridor serves sixteen stations along the 170-mile rail corridor connecting Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco and Santa Clara counties, paralleling both the I-80/I-680 and I-880 corridors in segments from Sacramento to San Jose. An extensive, dedicated motorcoach network provides bus connections to the train. Together, these systems serve the second-largest urban service area in the Western United States.
In July 1998, the management of the service was transferred to the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), which oversees the service with day-to-day management and staff support from San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART). The CCJPA partners with Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad, Caltrans and the communities comprising the CCJPA to offer cost-effective intercity passenger rail and offers a convenient way to travel between the Sierra Foothills, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley/San Jose. For more information visit capitolcorridor.org.