2016 Budget for NM RailRunner Commuter Rail

[MikeF90]

Just took a look at the fares:

https://www.riometro.org/fares/train-fares/fares

IMO those Day and Monthly passes seem a little too generous. For instance, a one way five zone fare is $9 and a Day Pass is $10. Hmmm. I'll bet that most daily riders are two trips only, as this is not a city area light rail line.

For comparison, SoCal Metrolink regular fare from LAUS to Fullerton is $8.50, round trip $17 and 7 day pass $59.50 (say 11.90/day for weekday commuters). Also a pretty generous pass discount, but comparible.

[CMStPnP]

Some lines are built early in anticipation of urban development and because they want the land before rapid urbanization makes it impossible.     I know that Santa Fe and Albquerque both were heavily in demand as retirement communities and were growing as fast as some of the nicer areas of Phoenix at one point.   I don't know if that is still the case.

I believe much of the DART system was built 15-20 years ahead of the real projected need because of rapid urbanization of the DFW metroplex and the annual population growth.    So while it is nice to get the ridership figures now, you really have to look at the forecasts and if they are meeting ridership forecasts.

As for paying for the system from the farebox.   Was that the goal before the system was built?     A lot of these light rail systems and Amtrak as well holds fares below market because they want to encourage ridership and they see their mission more as pulling in new riders than self-sufficiency.    Additionally, the more riders they pull out of cars the more they can show the Feds they are conforming to anti-pollution laws which also might be a higher goal than self-sufficiency.     So you also have to see what the goals were when building the light rail system.    Was it to placate the Feds and pull people out of automobiles?   Was it to lead development and urban sprawl by a decade or more?    What was the intent or goal?     Is the goal being met using actuals vs forecast?

Actually, I am confused on Amtrak's goal because I have heard from Amtrak management that they want to encourage ridership using low fares and not really charging what they can for onboard meals in the diner.    Yet, when the opportunity arises during peak times and demand is there, not a huge increase in pricing to match demand.....as there might be if it was completely privately run.

[K. P. Harrier]

CandOforProgress2 (4-29):

Why would “track leases” there be of concern to anyone?

Matter of fact, your whole thread baffles me.  What are you trying to say?

Best,

K.P.

[CandOforprogress2]

Yes its near the bottom but its unfair to compair to other systems that have multible lines I would assume that development around the stations may help pay for it

List of United States commuter rail systems by ridership[edit]

Rank	System	Major cities served	Annual Ridership (2016)[1]	Average Weekday Ridership (Q4 2016)[1]	Route miles	Ridership per mile (Q4 2016)	Year Opened	Lines	Stations
1	MTA Long Island Rail Road	New York	103,196,800	354,800	321[2]	1,105	1834[3]	11[3]	124[3]
2	NJ Transit Rail	New York / Newark/ Trenton / Philadelphia	88,050,000	241,233[note 1]	530[4]	455	1983[5]	11[6][note 2]	164[6]
3	MTA Metro-North Railroad	New York / Yonkers / Bridgeport	86,302,500	305,700	385[7]	794	1983	6[7]	122[7]
4	Metra	Chicago	72,891,500	283,700	487.7[9]	582	1984	11[9]	241[9]
5	SEPTA Regional Rail	Philadelphia	35,453,700	125,400	280[10]	448	1983	13[10]	153
6	MBTA Commuter Rail	Boston / Worcester / Providence	33,749,600	127,500	368[11]	346	1973	13[11]	127[11]
7	Caltrain	San Francisco / San Jose	19,038,300	56,100	77[12]	729	1987[note 3]	1	32[12]
8	Metrolink	Los Angeles / San Bernardino	10,903,000	39,500	388[13]	102	1992	7[13]	55[13]
9	MARC Train	Baltimore / Washington, D.C.	8,980,600	33,300	187	178	1984	3	43
10	UTA FrontRunner[14]	Salt Lake City / Provo	4,545,800	17,200	88	195	2008	1	16
11	Virginia Railway Express	Washington, D.C.	4,496,000	17,900	90[15]	199	1992	2[15]	18[15]
12	Denver RTD: A and B Lines	Denver	4,317,400[note 4]	19,400	29[16]	669	2016	2	9
13	Tri-Rail	Miami / Fort Lauderdale / West Palm Beach	4,175,000	14,200	70.9[17]	200	1987	1[17]	18[17]
14	Sounder Commuter Rail	Seattle / Tacoma	4,163,400	15,800	83[18]	190	2000	2	9
15	NICTD South Shore Line	Chicago / South Bend	3,503,700	11,700	90[19]	130	1903	1	20
16	Trinity Railway Express	Dallas / Fort Worth	2,032,800	7,700	34	226	1996	1	10
17	Capitol Corridor	San Jose / Oakland / Sacramento	1,573,200	5,100	168	30	1991	1	15
18	NCTD Coaster	San Diego / Oceanside	1,503,700	4,600	41[20]	112	1995[20]	1[20]	8[20]
19	Keystone Service	Philadelphia	1,492,000	4,900	104.6	47	1976(?)	1	12
20	Altamont Corridor Express (ACE)	San Jose / Stockton	1,295,500	5,200	86[21]	60	1998	1[21]	10[21]
21	SunRail	Orlando	877,600	2,404[note 1]	32[22]	75	2014	1	12[22]
22	New Mexico Rail Runner Express	Albuquerque / Santa Fe	858,700	2,700	97	28	2006	1	13
23	Capital MetroRail	Austin	810,100	2,700	32[23]	84	2010	1	9[23]
24	Northstar Line	Minneapolis	711,300	2,400	40	60	2009	1	6
25	Shore Line East	New Haven	606,300	1,900	59	32	1990	1	13
26	A-Train	Denton	530,400	2,000	21	95	2011	1	6
27	Downeaster	Boston / Brunswick, Maine	493,500	1,300	148	9	2001	1	12
28	Westside Express Service	Beaverton	455,000	1,700	15	113	2010	1	5
29	Music City Star	Nashville	280,900	1,200	32	38	2006	1	6

 

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

The low percentage of fares as part of revenue is a bit unusual although it should be remembered that the RailRunner is pretty much a rush-hour-only operation, the service is still relatively new, and the passenger base is still in the process of being developed.

[CandOforprogress2]

Instresting that track leases are not the most expensve part of there budget. But Passengers fare dont contribute much to the bottom line at all.

https://www.riometro.org/images/pdf/rmrtd-fy16-rail-budget.pdf