Amtrak Ridership Surging Due to High Gas Prices
With gasoline prices near $4 per gallon, many Americans are sidetracking their driving plans and giving a clear signal to passenger trains.
John Detrixhe of Medill Reports writes:
Amtrak attributes about half of its overall ridership surge to record gas prices, according to spokeswoman Tracy Connell. The subsidized train system credits the rest of the increase to people looking for alternative modes of transportation, avoiding highway congestion and airport hassles.
Regular unleaded gasoline averaged a record $4.109-a-gallon nationwide on Tuesday, according to AAA. Meanwhile, Americans have driven almost 20 billion fewer miles as of April compared with a year earlier, according to the Department of Transportation.
I personally do not ride Amtrak frequently, although I would like to see Amtrak thrive. What do you think about U.S. passenger rail service?