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Rising gas prices, ballgames and snarled freeways likely contributed to a record summer for the COASTER. In September alone, ridership was up 7.6% over September, 2004. Weekday trips also reached an all-time high: approximately 6,200 passengers rode the COASTER on an average weekday.
In addition, 220 passengers on an average weekday took advantage of the COASTER/Amtrak Rail2Rail program to ride Amtrak trains. The program allows COASTER monthly pass holders to ride any Amtrak train within their zone limits. SANDAG is currently conducting an on-board survey to evaluate the Rail2Rail program, which has been offered since 2004.
The Padres didn’t get far in the playoffs, but the COASTER certainly had a winning record this season: average ridership for Padres game days was up 14% over a regular weekday. Every game day, the COASTER boarded on average 776 passengers in addition to the usual commuters – that’s 44,000 extra passenger trips during the 2005 season! The COASTER ran special southbound and northbound train on every weekday when a Padres game occurred in the evening.
The rise in passenger trips is expected to continue its upward trend. Fall has been off to a great start so far: COASTER ridership was up 13% in October vs. the same month last year.
For more information on the COASTER, go to www.gonctd.com.
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