WHEN GAS PRICES GO UP, RIDERSHIP ON THE NEW MEXICO RAIL RUNNER GOES UP. HOWEVER, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, GAS PRICES ARE LOW RIGHT NOW, AND IT’S AFFECTING OVERALL PASSENGER NUMBERS FOR THE COMMUTER TRAIN. SPOKESPERSON AUGUSTA MEYERS SAYS THERE WAS A DROP IN RIDERSHIP OF 7-POINT-9 PERCENT FROM FISCAL 2014 TO FISCAL 2015.
OVERALL RIDERSHIP WAS JUST UNDER 1-MILLION PASSENGERS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015. MEYERS SAYS THE LOST REVENUE FROM THE DROP IN RIDERSHIP IS MADE UP BY THE LOWER FUEL COSTS FOR THE TRAIN.
