Tri-Rail's ridership continues to rise

[thelakelander]

The rental car tax, currently under discussion would be something we could use to help fund annual operations and maintenance costs for a future system here.

By Michael Turnbell | Sun-Sentinel.com
12:53 PM EDT, April 30, 2008

Ridership on the commuter trains this month increased 28.2 percent over the same month last year, Tri-Rail officials announced today.

On Tuesday, Tri-Rail carried 15,504 passengers, making it one of the highest ridership days on record. It was the ninth day this year that ridership has exceeded 15,000 passengers.

So far this month, an average of 14,391 passengers a day have boarded the trains.

"The overwhelming increase in Tri-Rail's ridership underscores the need to offer efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly public transportation as alternative to commuters as they grapple with the day-to-day challenges of Soth Florida's economical climate," said Joseph Giulietti, Tri-Rail's executive director.

Statistics show that March 2008 was the highest ridership month ever, with 348,997 passengers, up from 306,783 in 2007. April's ridership is expected to exceed that number when the final count is tabulated on Thursday.

Officials say the commuter train's employer discount program, which has more than 3,000 members, has been key to ridership growth. Employees of companies who register for the free program can purchase a monthly ticket for unlimited rides for just $60 a month.

Meanwhile, dueling bills in the Legislature offer different means of getting Tri-Rail a dedicated tax to pay for day-to-day operations.

A provision in the Senate bill would create a new $2-a-day rental car surcharge but only on cars rented at airports, subject to voter approval in the three counties.

A House bill would tap an existing $2-a-day fee on all rental cars but wouldn't require a referendum. Tri-Rail officials said they prefer the House legislation because it would generate enough money to relieve the three counties of their funding obligation for the commuter train.

Without the rental car tax money, Tri-Rail officials say commuter train service would be drastically cut on Oct. 1.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-0430trirail,0,3538203.story

[Jason]

Goes to show how planning for the future pays off.  Tri-Rail and the Metromover were both ridiculed when they opened but look at them now.

[Traveller]

If Tri-rail moved to FEC's tracks along U.S. 1 away from CSX's tracks along I-95, ridership would go through the roof. 

[thelakelander]

They are working on a deal right now to put commuter rail on FEC's track.  If successful, it will be in addition to the existing CSX line.

[tufsu1]

keep in mind that a major reason Tri Rail's ridership has increased is that they just finish double-tracking the system last year.  That has allowed for more trains and shorter headways.

Another reason for its success is the relatively quick route.  The FEC route along US 1 is meant for shorter trips, the I-95 CSX route works even for the full WPB - Miami route (less than 1.5 hours)

[thelakelander]

Tri-Rail scores big on Heat parade

Tri-Rail scored its third highest ridership on Monday with the Miami Heat's championship parade.

Some 18,355 people rode the commuter rail in packed trains that operated at or near capacity.

The outpouring of fans was only slightly lower than Tri-Rail's ridership on June 23, 2006, for the Heat's 2006 victory parade. On that day, 18,613 people boarded the train, the system's second highest total.

Tri-Rail's ridership record was set on June 16, 2011, when 19,731 passengers got on board for National Dump the Pump Day

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-tri-rail-heat-parade-tophat-20120626,0,2273036.story

[FayeforCure]

Goes to show how planning for the future pays off.  Tri-Rail and the Metromover were both ridiculed when they opened but look at them now.

It's important to note who initiates and promotes most of the ridiculing.........by and large it's short-sighted Republicans.

[simms3]

Just rode Tri-Rail on Tues...smooth and comfortable with decent headways (20 minutes at peak hours).  $3.75 for one way.  It is pretty empty, though, in contrast with most light rail and certainly heavy rail lines.  Miami's heavy rail is just horrible and has 30-45 minute headways outside of the 4:30-6:30 block.  It also stops in between each stop and sits...very obnoxious.

[fsujax]

I would suspect most of Tri-Rails ridership peaks during peak hours? were you on at those times?

[tufsu1]

^ simms...you do know that Tri-Rail is a commuter rail system, not light or heavy rail?

and sorry but Miami's Metrorail does not operate on 30-45 minute headways...the schedule is more like every 5-10 minutes....the link below is from the end of the line at Dadeland South, but you can change to whatever station you like

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/rail_schedules_today.asp?station_selected=DLS

the reason the trains are sitting right now is that there is ongoing track maintenance, which means trains going both directions are share a single track.

[John P]

Short headways are the key to it all.

[simms3]

^ simms...you do know that Tri-Rail is a commuter rail system, not light or heavy rail?

and sorry but Miami's Metrorail does not operate on 30-45 minute headways...the schedule is more like every 5-10 minutes....the link below is from the end of the line at Dadeland South, but you can change to whatever station you like

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/rail_schedules_today.asp?station_selected=DLS

the reason the trains are sitting right now is that there is ongoing track maintenance, which means trains going both directions are share a single track.

Yes, I know.  It connects to Miami's heavy rail, which I was referring to (Metrorail).

From your link:
08:30PM
09:00PM
09:30PM

I arrived at 8:30, saw some people waiting on the platform (so it didn't seem like a train had just arrived), and I caught the 9:00 apparently, but it was late.  In nowhere is the schedule every 5-10 minutes.  10-15 minutes tops if it obeys its schedule, which while Tri-Rail did for me, MetroRail definitely did not.

Needless to say, I can expense cab rides if I do not rent a car so there really is no need for me to take transit down there and next time I will not.

[simms3]

I would suspect most of Tri-Rails ridership peaks during peak hours? were you on at those times?

Ridership is ~14,000/day for 71 miles and 3 car trains with several trains.  The trains are also doubledecker (foggy windows so no view) so you can say 6 cars per trains.  Do the math and no matter how it shakes out it's a very empty train.  Also just consulted Wiki (well the SFRTA 2010 audited financials given in link) and 2010 train revenue was $10.3M with a fare recovery ratio of 22.8%.  Do the math and you land at operating expenses of $45M.  (Wiki states revenue of $10.3M and expenses of $87M, which includes depreciation and other non-operating expenses/non-cash items).  Looking at their statements, they aren't including G&A as opex, which it is, so real expenses are more like $51.8M (everything excluding planning and depreciation).  Anyway, just an FYI since we analyze so many systems here on MetroJacksonville.

1:5 ratio thereabouts of revenue to expenses for their commuter rail line...granted that's not bad in public transit world, but it still means there is a cost to commuter rail, and their's is decent (the only other "commuter rail" I have ridden is in Chicago, and then certain Amtrak lines if those can be counted, ha).

[thelakelander]

I'm just wondering but what's the average revenue to expense ratio for a public transit system like commuter rail, local bus, light rail, heavy rail, etc.?  I doubt most, if any, break even or recover half of their costs at the fare box.

[simms3]

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/55CF12C9-9D4E-4762-A27A-407A44546BE2/0/TrasitFareboxRecoveryandSubsidiesSynthesisKTaylorFINAL2.pdf

In Asia they appear profitable, of course.

http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch6en/conc6en/revenueustransit.html