Amtrak Sees Decline in Riders

Eric Jochim (02/08/2010)

The Montana Department of Transportation is reporting a decline in the number of riders on the Empire Builder.

MDOT says the fall in the number of riders for 2009 was the first decline in five years. They report the number of riders getting on or off the Empire Builder line fell by more than 16,000. The numbers dropped at all 12 stops across Montana.

A spokesman for Amtrak cites the recession as the main reason for the decline in travelers nationwide. Amtrak noted that 2008 saw record number of riders because of the high price of gasoline. The amount of riders in 2009 was still greater than 2007.

02/08/2010 4:19PM

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2009 was 2nd highest ridership year

By Martin Soholt on 02/09/2010 9:53AM

This headline both misleads and is outdated. Firstly, Your glossed-over mention that 2009's ridership "was still greater than 2007" is not even noticed by most readers as stating the true fact that 2009 was the second largest ridership year in Amtrak's 30 year history. All during recessionary times when most other passenger transportation modes are seeing real decreases. Second, Amtrak's 2009 fiscal year ended Sep 30, 2009 (over four months ago) and this material has been announced and released in the nationwide press for that long. Are you a newspaper or a history jou

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NRHS MEMBER

By FRANK WILLKIE on 03/05/2010 6:24AM

We are in need for Amtrak Service in this country. part of the problem is prices. Prices in the Bed Room have sky rocked to the point. that it is getting less expensive to drive, except, however, if we see $3,4,5 Fuel prices again. I mean it is Ridiculous; more "Post 911 Security is needed" what is the bloody difference if you had a sky marshal which may had been lack on 09-11 vs a Amtrak Marshal? surly, no one will get to the engine. and no one is going to be stupid enough to train someone that maybe up to no good to crash a Amtrak Train into a Dangerous Fright Train. or any Passen

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