Texas Eagle Marketing & Performance Organization (TEMP0) - PRESS RELEASE, May 28, 2003
AMTRAK TRAIN POSTS “TEXAS SIZED” JUMP IN RIDERSHIP
Texas Eagle ridership soars to double-digit increase over 2002WASHINGTON - For the third straight month, Amtrak’s Texas Eagle route (Chicago-San Antonio-Los Angeles) increased ridership by double digits over the previous year.
In April, ridership on the Texas Eagle was 3,353, a 37.2 percent increase over April of 2002. In March, ridership rose to 15,588, up 39.4 percent from the previous year. February ridership, 9,980, was up 13.5
percent from February 2002.
Special promotions at the local level, attractive fares and Amtrak’s
national “1-2-Free” promotion all brought riders to the Texas Eagle.
"We are very encouraged by the recent growth in ridership on the Eagle," said Bill Pollard of TEMPO, a volunteer group that helps develop and support grass-roots marketing for the Texas Eagle. “These numbers show conclusively that trains like the Texas Eagle have a rightful place in America’s transportation mix.” TEMPO’s efforts include a continually updated calendar of events for every city along the Eagle route, along with a comprehensive route
guide, both available on-line at http://www.texaseagle.com
Ridership in sleeping accommodations on board the Texas Eagle has also been strong in recent months. A total of 2,780 passengers traveled in Eagle sleeping cars in April, up 24.7 percent from April 2002. This continued a trend that began in March, when Eagle sleeping car ridership increased 25.2 percent.
Nationally, Amtrak’s total ridership in April was 2,098,901, against 2,048,398 for April 2002.
Contact: Bill Pollard, (501) 329-9092
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