A WEAK ECONOMY, HIGHER FARES AND LOWER GAS PRICES ARE BLAMED FOR A DROP IN RAIL RUNNER RIDERSHIP. RIO METRO REGIONAL TRANSIT DISTRICT DIRECTOR TERRENCE DOYLE TOLD A LEGISLATIVE PANEL ON TUESDAY THAT THE COMMUTER TRAIN'S RIDERSHIP WAS DOWN ABOUT 9 PERCENT IN 2012, BUT HIGHER-PRICED FARES CAUSED REVENUE TO GROW ABOUT 10 PERCENT.
OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE LOOKING INTO SHORTENING TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE TO ATTRACT MORE COMMUTERS, ESPECIALLY GOVERNMENT WORKERS.
