OPERATORS OF NEW MEXICO'S RAILRUNNER COMMUTER TRAIN HOPE AN IMPROVING JOB MARKET WILL PUT MORE PEOPLE ON BOARD. TERRY DOYLE WITH THE RIO METRO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT SAYS THEY'VE SEEN A 9 PERCENT DROP IN RIDERSHIP YEAR TO YEAR, BUT A FARE INCREASE TWO YEARS AGO RESULTED IN A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN REVENUE. HE TELLS US THERE ARE NO PLANS RIGHT NOW TO BOOST FARES AGAIN ANYTIME SOON.
OVERALL, ABOUT 120-THOUSAND FEWER PEOPLE USED THE TRAIN THIS FISCAL YEAR COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR 2012.