[PRCo] Re: [PRCo]

[John Swindler]

Wait until March 2006 numbers show up.  Last falls 'Katrina' related numbers 
were only a speed bump.  Now we are starting to see some real increases at 
even the small agencies.  As an article from 12-18 months ago forecasted:  
'we should give thanks at Thanksgiving 2005 for a century of cheap oil.'

John


>From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 23:11:31 -0400
>
>Mark McGuire asked about patronage increases ... here was an item
>from Progressive Railroading relating to increases in riding in the
>4th Quarter 2005 over 2004.
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>Progressive Railroading
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>1/19/2006    Ridership
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>All modes post third-quarter passenger gains, APTA says
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>High gas prices helped spur ridership in all transit modes during
>third-quarter 2005, according to a recent American Public
>Transportation Association (APTA) report. Overall, transit ridership
>increased 3.3 percent compared with third-quarter 2004.
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>Light-rail ridership increased 8.8 percent during the third quarter
>compared with the same 2004 period. Ridership increased significantly
>in several cities, including Minneapolis (up 70.9 percent), Tampa
>(22.1 percent), Los Angeles (15.9 percent), San Diego (15.1 percent)
>and Houston (14.8 percent).
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>In the commuter-rail realm, ridership rose 4.6 percent. Cities
>registering gains include Chesterton, Ind. (up 10.4 percent),
>Philadelphia (9.9 percent), Harrisburg, Pa. (8.9 percent), San
>Carlos, Calif. (7.9 percent) and Los Angeles (5.7 percent).
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>Finally, heavy-rail ridership increased 4.3 percent compared with
>third-quarter 2004. Cities posting increases include Cleveland (up
>7.8 percent), Los Angeles (7.7 percent), Philadelphia (7.6 percent),
>Boston (7.3 percent), Washington, D.C. (6.3 percent) and Chicago (6.2
>percent).
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>Although gas prices dipped in November, ridership didn’t well into
>the fourth quarter, according to a recent APTA survey. Eighty-eight
>percent of transit agencies reported ridership gains in November 2005
>compared with November 2004.
>