Amtrak - National Railroad Passenger Corporation

12/03/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/03/2024 06:02

Amtrak Sets All-Time Ridership Record in Fiscal Year 2024

Invests more than $4.5 billion in major infrastructure projects to support future growth

WASHINGTON - Amtrak achieved an all-time ridership record in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), welcoming a historic 32.8 million customers as demand for passenger rail service continues to grow in markets across the nation. Amtrak also invested an unprecedented $4.5 billion into major infrastructure and fleet projects - creating the largest boom in rail construction in Amtrak's history, putting thousands of skilled Americans to work and jump-starting American manufacturing. Amtrak is seizing the opportunity of strong customer interest and leveraging investments to improve all aspects of the travel experience.

"Breaking our ridership record is just the beginning," said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. "This record ridership shows that travelers throughout the U.S. want efficient travel options, and we are committed to meeting that demand. Through bold investments, strong partnerships with states and host railroads, and dedicated planning, we are doubling down on our vision to connect more people and communities like never before."

As Amtrak continues to transform rail and provide a high-quality experience, preliminary results for FY24 (Oct. 2023 - Sept. 2024) include:

  • Ridership:All-time record 32.8 million customer trips, a 15% increase over FY23
  • Ticket Revenue:$2.5 billion - a first in Amtrak's history and 9% higher year-over-year
  • Total Operating Revenue 1:$3.6 billion, a 7% increase over FY23
  • Major Infrastructure Investments:Invested $4.5 billion into critical infrastructure upgrades, driving economic growth, creating jobs, and improving mobility around the country
  • Adjusted Operating Earnings 2:Improved by 9% over FY23 to ($705.2 million)
  • Service:Launched one new train service and expanded four additional routes

With a strong workforce and private-sector partners, Amtrak is building new bridges, tunnels, trains, and more to deliver world-class infrastructure upgrades. These investments will enhance safety and reliability, expand capacity, spur economic growth, and improve accessibility. Amtrak is also working closely with state partners to establish new routes, upgrade stations, and lay the groundwork for future corridor expansion.

Advancing a new era of passenger rail supports Amtrak's goal of doubling ridership to 66 million by 2040. This includes encouraging even more consumers to reimagine their approach and Retrain Travel, where Amtrak provides an unmatched experience by attracting new riders, serving new communities, and transforming passenger rail.

"We are modernizing our network and fleet so we can make every journey with Amtrak world-class," said Amtrak President Roger Harris. "As we build for the future, our investments in new equipment, expanded service, and critical infrastructure will continue to elevate the experience from coast to coast."

"Amtrak's record ridership reflects not only the need for train travel in America but also the impact of strategic investments that support our long-term vision," said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia. "We're modernizing and expanding our network in ways that will improve service, enhance reliability, and increase capacity. This is an exciting time for rail in America, and Amtrak is committed to leading the way."

[1] Includes payments from state partners for State Supported routes
[2] Unaudited

QUICK VIEW

Expanded, Enhanced and Grew Service
Future Growth Opportunities
Customer Experience Improvements
Food and Beverage
Digital Technology
Infrastructure Investments
Station Revitalization
Restoring, Upgrading, and Introducing New Trains
Rail Infrastructure
Bridge Improvement Projects
Tunnel Modernization
Rail Yard Upgrades
Accessibility
Safety
Community Engagement
Efficiency and Resilience
Talent and People
Leadership

FY24 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

EXPANDED, ENHANCED AND GREW SERVICE

  • State Supported Services
    • Doubled daily service between Chicago and Saint Paul, Minnesota; the additional Borealis round-trip was launched with the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois
    • In partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation and Oregon Department of Transportation, launched two new daily Amtrak Cascades trips
      • With the Coast Starlight, Amtrak now offers seven daily roundtrips between Seattle and Portland, Oregon
    • In conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and New York State Department of Transportation, continued offering Berkshire Flyer seasonal summer service between Moynihan Train Hall in New York and Pittsfield, Massachusetts
    • Reduced trip time by up to 15 minutes on the Ethan Allen Express; adjustments were made in conjunction with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, New York State Department of Transportation, and the Vermont Railway
    • Alongside the N.C. Department of Transportation's Rail Division, provided special train service to the U.S. Open in Pinehurst, North Carolina
    • Offered Winter Park Express service for the 2024 season; due to popular demand, added additional service for the upcoming season
    • Resumed Downeaster seasonal service to Old Orchard Beach in Maine alongside the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
    • Continued direct train service to the Great New York State Fair
  • Northeast Corridor
    • Grew Northeast Corridor route ridership significantly, with a more than 9% increase on Acela and 18% on Northeast Regional services when compared to FY23
    • Increased Northeast Regional capacity by adding 1 million seats; Northeast Regional service increased by 20% on weekdays and 10% on Sundays
    • Provided new stops at New Brunswick and Princeton Junction to address increased demand and offer additional travel options for New Jersey travelers and residents
  • Long Distance
    • Grew Long Distance route ridership to 4.2 million, an 8% increase compared to the previous fiscal year with a 29% increase on Capitol Limited and 13% on Lake Shore Limited when compared to FY23
    • Announced theFloridian, a new temporary service offering a direct round-trip between Chicago and Miami

FUTURE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

  • Advanced all four of Amtrak's applications into the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program:
    • Amtrak's Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor efforts received funding to advance preliminary engineering, environmental, and other work for this proposed passenger rail service between Dallas and Houston
    • Neared completion of initial planning activities to establish daily service on the Cardinal and Sunset Limited, as well as the new Long Island Corridor that would connect the Northeast Corridor to Nassau and Suffolk Counties
  • Supported dozens of partner applications included in the FRA's full list of 69 total corridors accepted into the Corridor Identification and Development Program. Examples include:
    • New and upgraded Midwest Chicago hub Corridors
    • Downeaster Corridor (extension to Rockland, Maine)
    • Heartland Flyer extension to Newton, Kansas
    • Wolverine Corridor (extension to Windsor, Ontario, Canada)
    • Colorado Front Range Corridor (between Fort Collins and Pueblo, Colorado)
    • Atlanta - Savannah, Georgia Corridor
    • Phoenix - Tucson, Arizona Corridor
    • New York - Scranton, Pennsylvania Corridor
    • New York - Philadelphia/Reading Corridor
  • In alignment with partners, set the stage for new twice-daily service in 2025 between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama
    • This will be the first Amtrak service along that portion of the Gulf Coast in 20 years

️ CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS

  • Debuted a new feature with Points & Cash, a major enhancement that allows members to pay for travel using a combination of Amtrak Guest Rewards points and cash
  • Introduced a new, simplified fare structure with more flexible and affordable options, including the Flex Fare and Value Fare
  • Improved the booking experience by allowing customers to select their seat before finalizing their reservation in classes of service with assigned seats
  • Selected a contractor for the new Wilmington Unified Operations Center; the $53 million investment will improve reliability, efficiency, safety, and customer service
  • Began welcoming pets onboard Capitol Corridor trains

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

  • Reinvented the Cafe Acela menu which features more artisan products from sustainably sourced, health-conscious, and local brands; additional upgrades include a redesigned physical menu and upgraded packaging
  • Continued partnership with renowned restauranteur Stephen Starr to elevate the Acela First Class dining experience, with new seasonal menu items
  • Reintroduced the dining experience to Coach customers for purchase on the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and Lake Shore Limited. Now Traditional Dining is available to Coach customers on eight Long Distance trains with service already available on the Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Sunset Limited, and Southwest Chief
  • Debuted a new seasonal, rotating menu in the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Train Hall in New York
    • Launched the new snack and beverage menu at other Metropolitan Lounges across the country
  • Enhanced the Crescent dining experience with the addition of new dining equipment, which offers a dedicated, improved environment for customers in private rooms
  • Partnered with the Center of the Universe Brewing Company and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to offer a local craft beer, Brewski, onboard Amtrak Virginia trains
  • Introduced several pilot programs to advance the customer experience and assess feasibility, these include:
    • Flex+ on the Lake Shore Limited which offers an elevated atmosphere closer to Traditional Dining that incorporates customer feedback
    • A new bar 'Sips in the Sightseer' on the California Zephyr where Sleeper and Coach guests can purchase drinks and snacks while enjoying panoramic views

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

  • Offered new Google direct data integration helping travelers choose more transportation options when searching for intercity travel
    • Amtrak information will appear in Google search results when a user indicates they are considering rail travel between two Amtrak destinations
    • Google will also show train suggestions when travelers look for flights on Google Search or Google Flights
    • Once customers select a train, they can click through to Amtrak.com to complete the booking for their chosen itinerary without needing to re-enter their trip details
  • To improve onboard WiFi performance, completed 5G upgrades on Acela, Auto Train, and 90% of Northeast Regional service
  • Issued two requests for information to support high speed Wi-Fi connectivity along the 450-mile Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C. to Boston, marking significant progress towards advancing the onboard digital experience

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS

  • Invested a record $4.5 billion into capital upgrades across the Amtrak network; includes manufacturing and testing new trains, beginning construction of new tunnels and bridges, conducting annual state-of-good repair upgrades, and additional projects that will improve future service for customers and partner railroads
  • Secured more than $10 billion in competitive federal grant funds to support current and future projects
  • Provided planning, engineering, and/or funding support for dozens of partner projects supported by the FRA's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program and Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program
    • Examples include the Hudson Tunnel Project in New York/New Jersey, S-Line Project in North Carolina/Virginia, Downeaster Corridor Track Improvement Project in Maine, Pennsylvanian Rail Modernization Project, Transforming Rail in Virginia, Penn Station Access in New York, Walk Bridge and Devon Bridge Replacement Projects in Connecticut with additional projects in Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, and more

STATION REVITALIZATION

RESTORING, UPGRADING, AND INTRODUCING NEW TRAINS

  • Completed qualification testing on the NextGen Acela with Alstom and will submit results to the Federal Railroad Administration soon
    • Successfully conducted more than 900 test runs and clocked over 90,000 miles of testing on the Northeast Corridor
  • Continued production of new Amtrak Airo trains which boosted businesses nationwide with over 3,500 parts manufactured by nearly 100 suppliers in 31 states
  • Continued deploying new, cleaner, faster ALC-42 diesel locomotives for Long Distance trains
  • Issued a request for proposals for Amtrak's overnight Long Distance fleet that will feature enhanced amenities, improved accessibility, and greater customer comfort
  • Continued upgrading the Long Distance customer experience; with 82% of the fleet refreshed, upgrades include new seating cushions, upholstery, carpet, LED lighting, tables, and curtains
  • Supported the San Joaquins on new state-owned Venture Cars; offering comfortable and convenient options for travelers and commuters, the single-story, fully ADA-accessible passenger cars provide wider aisles, accessible restrooms, and automated doors
  • Began deploying new state-owned Cafe cars in the Midwest network to re-fleet State Supported services in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin

RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Implemented innovative infrastructure delivery approaches for projects like the Harrisburg Line Track Renewal Project in Pennsylvania (which completed two years of work in nine months) and catenary system upgrades in Maryland
    • Each project benefited from expanded work windows that drove significant efficiencies and safety improvements
    • Building on these successes, Amtrak is actively exploring additional opportunities along the Northeast Corridor to collaborate on similar strategies with other partners
  • Invested $260 million for track infrastructure improvements that will enhance Northeast Corridor service
  • In alignment with NJ TRANSIT, accelerated overhead power, maintenance and improvement activities, and applied for several federal grants in New Jersey; issued a joint report to address and further mitigate severe service disruptions that affected New Jersey and New York Penn Station
  • Created efficiencies and improved project timelines by aligning with federal officials to streamline compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act
BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

  • Susquehanna River Bridge Project
    • Kicked off pre-construction work alongside project partners, including the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Transit Administration, and USDOT/FRA
    • Awarded three major contracts for replacing the existing 117-year-old bridge with two new bridges featuring four total tracks, including the primary Construction Manager at Risk contract
    • Secured a $2.08 billion Fed-State Partnership grant that will fund a majority of the project
  • Dock Bridge
    • Began procurement and prepared to award a contract for the Dock Bridge Rehab Project, a key component of the Gateway Program
    • Secured a $2 million Fed-State Partnership grant that will fund the majority of the project
  • Portal North Bridge
    • Advanced the Portal North Bridge Project to 70% completion, in partnership with project sponsor NJ TRANSIT
  • Additional Amtrak-led Bridge Replacement Projects
    • Advanced planning for projects funded by FRA Fed-State Partnership grants, including Pelham Bay Bridge ($58.3 million grant with an FRA Letter of Intent for future funding), Gunpowder River Bridge ($30 million grant with an FRA Letter of Intent for future funding), and Bush River Bridge ($18.8 million grant with an FRA Letter of Intent for future funding)

TUNNEL MODERNIZATION

  • Hudson Tunnel Project
    • Started construction on the final phase of the Amtrak-led Hudson Yards Concrete Casing project in New York
    • Alongside partners, celebrated the start of Hudson Tunnel Project construction in New Jersey
    • With state and local partners, supported final agreements to fully fund the project, including the Gateway Development Commission's signature for a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration ($6.9 billion), Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loans from the Build America Bureau ($4.1 billion), and Federal State Partnership grant with the FRA ($3.8 billion)
    • Amtrak and the Gateway Development Commission welcomed new large-scale artwork commissioned by Marisa Morán Jahn; The Art at Amtrak piece surrounds project property on the West Side of Manhattan

RAIL YARD UPGRADES

  • Advanced planning, procurement, and construction for several major rail yard upgrades around the country, which will support new trains entering service in the coming years
    • Broke ground on a nearly 350,000 square foot new maintenance facility at Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia
    • Awarded a construction contract for a new maintenance facility at King Street Yard in Seattle, with construction expected to begin in the first half of FY25
    • Prepared to award construction contracts for similar upgrades in Boston, Washington, D.C., and New York City in the first half of FY25

ACCESSIBILITY

SAFETY

  • Drove year-over-year continuous improvement on safety metrics
  • Invested in and implemented safety technologies to further mitigate risk and assist frontline employees
  • Partnered with Operation Lifesaver during See Tracks? Think Train week where 255 law enforcement, first responder, and local agencies nationwide participated in Operation Clear Track educating drivers and communities about safe practices near railroad tracks and crossings
    • Saw significant participation growth and engagement in 2024, with a 71% increase in signups and nearly triple the number of surveys completed
  • Alongside CSX and in partnership with the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, began Positive Train Control installation on more than 100 miles of track between Haverhill, Massachusetts and Brunswick, Maine
    • Amtrak is investing more than $50 million for the project and CSX is performing the work
  • Achieved accreditation by the Emergency Management Accreditation Program demonstrating excellence and accountability in emergency preparedness and response standards

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  • Established a mentorship partnership program where employees can volunteer with high school students and empower them through meaningful community engagement and personal growth
  • Ramped up community engagement with a new series of bimonthly community meetings where residents can learn more about the Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program and interact with leadership
  • Supported the launch of Washington state's free youth fare initiative, offering free Amtrak Cascades travel for youth 18 years of age or younger
  • Stabilized and beautified the walls for a community improvement project in East Lyme, Connecticut which made the bridge and its surrounding area safer and more visible
  • Fully restored a key piece of art at Washington Union Station which celebrates labor leader and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph
  • Participated in 50 volunteer events and more than 75 community events in support of Amtrak projects
    • In celebration of Amtrak's 53rd anniversary, led a volunteer campaign that included 40 cities and more than 950 volunteer hours during a five-week span
    • Volunteered in more than eight cities to commemorate 9/11 Day of Service

EFFICIENCY AND RESILIENCE

  • Launched the first National Network Climate Vulnerability Assessment to build even more resilient operations across the National Network
  • Initiated the first clean energy generating venture at the Ivy City Maintenance Facility
  • Released the FY23 Sustainability Report detailing progress toward climate resilience and sustainability design measures
  • Issued a Request for Information to help transform the company's rail fleet with zero-emissions technology

TALENT AND PEOPLE

  • Offering a program for electricians, sheet metal workers, machinists, and car repair persons, became the first railroad to have a registered apprenticeship program with the Delaware Department of Labor
    • These three-year programs are a pathway for employees to grow their skillsets and careers in their respective craft
  • Achieved voluntary ratified Settlement Agreements with five additional bargaining units, bringing Amtrak to over 99% completion of its Section Six negotiations
  • Awarded 11 scholarships that recognized student commitment to the railroad and transportation industry; the program honored recipients across various educational types (from high school seniors, undergraduates, graduates, those pursuing trade programs, and others)
  • Equipping early talent with opportunities for growth and development, Amtrak's Future Careers Program won both the Handshake 2024 Early Talent Award and the RippleMatch 2024 Campus Forward Award

LEADERSHIP