Shrinking Ridership Hampers New Mexico Commuter Rail
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's only commuter rail line has marked another year of shrinking ridership, and a legislative report released Monday suggests targeted improvements in infrastructure, shorter travel times and a moratorium on any new stations could help reverse the trend.
The report was reviewed by members of the Legislative Finance Committee during a meeting ahead of the start of the 60-day legislative session. It shows there were more than three-quarters of a million trips taken during the last fiscal year, or 37 percent below the peak of 1.2 million during the 2010 fiscal year.
Ridership has declined every year since, with the last fiscal year marking the lowest level since service was extended to Santa Fe in late 2008.
A project of former Gov. Bill Richardson, the train began operating in 2006. One of its initial goals was to spur economic development around the stations along the route from Belen to Santa Fe.
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