The most recent Monthly Performance Report available at the website is June 2011. As noted at the page, reports are generally available six weeks after the close of the reporting period. As such, July and August should be available, but they are MIA.
Is Public Affairs simply 'swamped' or could there something more sinister a lurking?
Sinister could mean that ridership has tanked, this arising from the combination of all the annulled services plus the almost certainty that Great Recession II has begun. Declining ridership will have the train haters in Disneyland (no; not in Anaheim or Orlando, but UNOWARE) breaking out, even if unfounded, the litany of "kill it, who rides it?' with of course the greatest impact falling on the LD's.
Sinister could also mean that ridership has remained strong and is growing resulting in Amtrak having a surplus arising from an excess of revenues and appropriations over expenses - not, of course, any kind of Net Income under GAAP. Amtrak does not wish to advertise this until they absolutely must, lest that fall into the hands of the budget cutting mentality pervasive again in "Disneyland'.
So who knows, tomorrow the MIA's may turn up, and this whole topic will be rendered moot.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Given that the Empire Builder and California Zephyr were truncated for weeks at a time this year...... even I 'punted' at the last second and wisely changed an unticketed itinerary in June which left alone would have stranded me indefinately in Havre, MT......I'm going with the first scenario.
My guess is that ridership has tanked.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
On Facebook, Amtrak is trumpeting that they expect to handle their 30 millionth passenger of the year sometime today.
Is that consistent with "tanking"?
Just asking; I don't follow the performance numbers too closely. Also, I guess the Amtrak year is 10/1-9/30?
Posted by Vincent206 (Member # 15447) on :
They were stuck on May for quite some time, June is a recent addition. I think they're likely just backed up. Oregon DOT publishes timely and rather detailed ridership reports for the Cascades trains (click on the Ridership link). Cascades ridership in August 2011 was up almost 11% compared to August 2010.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Accepting your information Mike, I am concerned that Amtrak can post record ridership overall in a year where the LD's have had so much interruption. The Cardinal and Southwest Chief have both had a number of runs truncated as well.