Commuter Rail Lines Multiply, But Where Are the Riders?

Despite a flurry of new commuter rail lines in operation, ridership increased a mere .5% during a record year for transit. Worse yet, some of the newer lines saw the greatest decreases. The answer: increase service to attract riders.

3 minute read

June 18, 2013, 9:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Empty MARC Train

thisisbossi / flickr

Tod Newcombe, Senior Editor of Governing's Urban Notebook, looks at the problem, and offers one potential solution.

Last year, when the "U.S. Experienced It's Second-Highest Transit Ridership Since 1957", commuter rail ridership increased .5% while total transit ridership jumped 1.5%. In addition, "10 out of 28 systems lost riders; decreases occurred at some of the newest commuter lines..."

As the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) report issued last March posted here notes, commuter rail was public transit's worst performer, behind light rail, heavy rail, and large bus systems.

The biggest problem commuter rail faces is that its customer base lives in far-flung suburbs where cars are used for just about everything. “You are trying to attract people who are the least likely to use transit in the first place,” says Yonah Freemark, editor of The Transport Politic.
Michael Smart, a researcher with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, adds, "The subsidies for commuter rail are tremendous." A study of the Minneapolis Northstar line concluded that taxpayers were paying a subsidy (which included capital costs) of $89 per passenger, writes Newcombe.

According to Wikipedia, "Northstar runs 40 miles (64 km) from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis at Target Field using existing track and right-of-way owned by the BNSF Railway. Extension plans are on indefinite hold due to insufficient ridership."

The other three lines noted by Newcombe saw significantly greater ridership losses. Rail Runner (Albuquerque, N.M.), Trinity Railway Express serving Dallas-Fort Worth, and Music City Star (Nashville, Tenn) saw ridership drops of 9%, 7.7%, and 6.4% respectively. For other commuter rail lines, some of which saw substantial ridership gains, see page 5 of the March, 2013 American Public Transportation Report (PDF).

Newcombe writes that the solution, though sounding "counterintuitive, involves more service", though he doesn't suggest building extensions. He points to the Metro-North Railroad, with ridership up 1.2% last year. "After watching ridership decline for decades on its line, the MTA added more off-peak and weekend service, as well as another 187 trains, representing the most ambitious service expansion in its 30-year history. As a result, ridership has grown robustly."

Freemark agrees with this strategy. “Too many of today’s commuter rail lines are wasted infrastructure. Can you imagine a highway where the lanes are only open during rush hour?”

Neither Newcombe nor Freemark address the funding challenge - each additional train the agency deploys amounts to a significant operational expense in labor and fuel, expenses not incurred by empty highway lanes. In fact, when budgets are tight, agencies will often seek to cut trains as well as raise fares.

An extreme example, a 44% reduction in service was proposed for Caltrain in the Bay Area two years ago. However, funds were found with the help of the regional transportation agency, and service was reduced by almost 10% instead. The train line's ridership increased a staggering 13% last year. 

Saturday, June 1, 2013 in Governing Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Sign for Loma Alta Park in Altadena, Los Angeles County.

A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena

Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.

15 minutes ago - Pasadena NOw

Colorful historic homes in Madrid, Spain.

Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs

The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.

2 hours ago - The New York Times

People with bikes ordering at food trucks outdoors.

Raleigh Launches Greenway Food Truck Pilot to Enhance Park Experiences

Raleigh’s new Greenway Food Truck Pilot Program brings local food vendors to popular greenway locations to enhance park experiences, support small businesses, and encourage community use of public spaces.

4 hours ago - City of Raleigh

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.