Record-Breaking Ridership on Amtrak’s Downeaster

There’s been a sizable passenger increase on Amtrak’s Downeaster line, which connects commuters between Portland, Maine and Boston. Ridership went up by a whopping 28% in this past fiscal year. This translated to a daily increase of 948 passengers and a 33% increase in ticket revenues.

Amtrak officials cite high gas prices coupled with more frequent trains as the major factors in the surge. Executive Director Patricia Quinn of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority told the Associated Press that this was the largest gain experienced by any Amtrak line in the period ending June 30.

Although no one wants to pay higher prices for gasoline, we can root for the end result: Partial carectomies abound!

Photo via flickr by Bläck Döve

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