February 20, 2012
Dear Capitol Corridor riders,
I truly apologize for the delays that were experienced by Capitol Corridor riders Friday evening. These delays were extensive; in fact, some of the worst in the history of the Capitol Corridor.
At about 4:30pm Friday afternoon, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) had a major signal outage that stopped all train traffic between Martinez and Suisun. To compound this delay, the timing and location could not have been worse – a Friday evening prior to a three-day weekend along the busiest stretch of Capitol Corridor’s route.
I could elaborate on the technical and communication problems, but that is not the purpose of this message.
This is an apology.
I want all the Capitol Corridor riders that were inconvenienced to know that the CCJPA will be working with Amtrak and UPRR to learn our lessons from this signal outage and its cascading impacts to the passenger and freight trains. We will be working together to establish processes and protocols to ensure that similar outages are either prevented or resolved in a much more expeditious manner.
We did not deliver top quality service to our passengers this evening, but we (CCJPA, Amtrak, UPRR) will make sure that we do everything in our means to recover from this evening’s poor performance and return to our top form.
David Kutrosky,
Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
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January 20, 2012
We were thrilled to unveil our free Wi-Fi service at the end of 2011, but we’re not done launching new, customer-focused projects. By spring 2012, we will join Caltrain in opening the new Santa Clara/University Station and show off the renovations at San Jose – Diridon Station. We will also partner with Amtrak on an e-Ticketing program (print-at-home ticketing) by March 2012.
CCJPA’s Bike Storage Educational Period Begins February 1
You may have heard or read public comments about the Capitol Corridor’s Joint Powers Authority’s (CCJPA) new on board bike storage policy. I want to clarify that on February 1, 2012 we will start our “get acquainted period” to help educate riders who bring bikes on board the importance of proper bike storage. We will begin implementing the new policy several months afterwards in order to give riders time to prepare and acclimate to proper bike storage practices that allow for adequate access and safety.
This policy change is an issue we have been wrestling with as a result of our growing ridership and the corresponding increase in bike usage over the past few years. Quite simply put, the increased use of bicycles in correlation with more riders has outpaced our capacity to safely accommodate so many bikes on board the trains. The CCJPA’s top priority is safety, and in this instance it is not just a viewpoint; it is mandated by compliance with basic operations regulated by federal law and enforced by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
During this educational period, for safety reasons and to acquaint bike riders with the upcoming policy, conductors may “tag” those bikes that aren’t properly secured or stowed in such a way that prevents accessing the aisle ways. We’re giving cyclists several months to learn about how to properly stow their bikes in accordance with the upcoming policy.
Upcoming Bike Policy
Several months from now, when the Capitol Corridor’s new bike policy is in place, passengers who board trains with bikes will be required to:
- Secure bicycles to prevent the sudden or uncontrolled movement of bikes in the event of a sudden train stop; and
- Store bicycles so that all passengers (including those in wheelchairs) can safely navigate the train aisle-ways.
Why the Change?
For the past four years we have seen bike ridership surge. More and more riders are bringing bikes on board; however, bicycle storage demand has outpaced our available space and compromised our ability to stay in compliance with FRA regulations. This means that we must implement solutions aimed to keep bikes secured on our trains, while allowing passengers (especially riders who use wheelchairs) to safely navigate through the train.
We’re looking at other solutions to increase bike storage, including working with Caltrans on possible car modifications; however, like buying new rail cars, train car modifications take time. In the meantime, we are obligated to address a very important issue: with more people on the trains, there is an increased demand for bike storage.
We urge bike riders to help us make our trains safe for all passengers. Conductors are our partners in this goal and will soon be trained to manage bike storage on the trains, refer passengers to our website for an explanation of the new bike policy and help identify safe bike storage solutions. On this page you’ll learn details of the reasons for the policy, what we’ve done to address the issue and ways you can help. For example, you may want to consider switching to a folding bike, an option that many transit systems encourage as folding bikes use less storage space.
Again, our goal is to make travel on the Capitol Corridor a safe, positive experience for all.
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December 13, 2011
December 12, 2011 marks the Capitol Corridor’s 20th Anniversary—what an amazing two decades it has been! In twenty years the Capitol Corridor went from a total of six trains (three round-trips daily) to 32 weekday (22 weekend) trains between San Jose and Sacramento. Ridership has soared faster than the service: from 239,000 to the 1.74 million riders we carried in the last federal fiscal year, which ended in September. As with past end-of-year Message to Riders, I want to thank you for your loyalty and support and recount the highlights of this productive and successful year.
Stellar Performances
This year, Northern California travelers have truly made the Capitol Corridor one of the most popular intercity passenger rail services in the nation. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority’s (CCJPA) year-end Federal Fiscal Year 2011 (FFY2011) results shattered ridership and revenue thresholds set in previous federal fiscal years. The 1.74 million passengers who rode Capitol Corridor from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011, resulted in revenue of $27.2 million and for the second year in a row, it leads the nation in On-Time Performance (OTP). Capitol Corridor’s results for all three performance measures showed a steady upward trend this fiscal year—with some months showing double-digit increases—demonstrating that travelers who try trains, stay on trains.
I attribute several elements to the Capitol Corridor’s popularity: its consistently high on-time performance (OTP); Union Pacific Railroad’s™ stellar dispatching; Amtrak’s™ commitment to improving mechanical performance; our successful marketing promotions and the CCJPA’s customer -focused business model.
Public Support
Besides our popularity with travelers, public support came via state and federal dollars.
The CCJPA received welcome news from federal officials in May when the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced it awarded California’s intercity passenger rail services $68 million to procure 15 new, state-of-the-art train cars and four cleaner-running locomotives. The new cars will be distributed between California’s passenger rail services in the north (Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin) and in the south (Pacific Surfliner). I’m expecting the additional train cars will be on our tracks in three to four years. We need these additional rail cars to accommodate the steadily growing ridership not just on the Capitol Corridor, but on all three intercity passenger rail services. Each month we see thousands of more riders on our trains and we need to meet passenger capacity needs.
Another federal entity, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), came through for us in September when it obligated $4.8 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for the Yolo Causeway West Crossover Project, which is to be located between the Sacramento and Davis stations. The crossover benefits you, our customer, as it will maintain and improve the reliability of the Capitol Corridor trains by minimizing train congestion delays along this heavily utilized section of track between these two busy stations. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2012 and be complete by fall 2012.
The CCJPA received great news from state entities when in February the California Transportation Commission approved our request to use $3.75 million in savings from an infrastructure project in Emeryville towards installing Wi-Fi technology instead. The CCJPA joined Amtrak and the other California intercity passenger rail services to launch free wireless service on Cyber Monday, November 28. Free Wi-Fi is our holiday gift to loyal train passengers who have wanted this service for some time. Our customers can now make their travel mode choice based on which mode is more productive or entertaining; soon making Capitol Corridor trains the preferred means of interregional travel.
Also in November the CCJPA Board learned that the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) provided the CCJPA a $320,000 Carl Moyer Fund award to purchase standby power units to run locomotives as they layover at Capitol Corridor/Amtrak Sacramento Valley Station. This award will provide an additional four cleaner power units bringing the total to eight. These added standby units will now be included in the City of Sacramento’s contract with Granite Construction Inc. as part of Sacramento’s track relocation project. Standby units use electricity to power equipment, therefore trains won’t need to burn fossil fuel when stationed for extended periods of time. Instead of idling and emitting harmful diesel emissions as crews clean and maintain the rail cars, passenger trains stopping at the remodeled Sacramento Valley Station next year will be powered by cleaner, quieter standby units. This clean-air grant was the product of a partnership between the City, CCJPA and the SMAQMD.
The environmental benefits to this air pollution reduction measure are significant. Operating eight units will help prevent over 330 tons of greenhouse gases and 2.5 tons of harmful air pollutants from entering our atmosphere each year. Not only will this partnership help the region attain federal air quality standards, we will prevent tons of climate change emissions and will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs as well. Once these units are up and running we expect to save about 303,000 gallons of fuel each year.
2011 Golden STAR Award Bestowed to the “Father” of the Capitol Corridor
I saved the best 2011 milestone for last. We had a Golden Star in our platinum year when the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), Amtrak and Caltrans bestowed California’s 2011 Golden STAR (State Advocate of Rail) award to Solano Supervisor James P. Spering as scores of train fans flocked to the fourth annual National Train Day celebration in Martinez.
The three rail entities unanimously selected Solano County Supervisor and long-time CCJPA Board member James P. Spering for the 2011 Golden STAR award. Supervisor Spering has been instrumental in implementing the vision to make this service what it is today and was selected not only for his tenacity and foresight to establish intercity passenger rail in Northern California but for his years of experience and direction in developing comprehensive transportation system in Northern California. His guidance has led to tremendous improvements to the Capitol Corridor.
Happy Holidays
Yes, this has been a milestone year with memorable activities but we know we owe much of our success to our loyal and new riders, as well as the commitment of our service partners: UPRR and Amtrak. I wish you a safe and joyful holiday season and look forward to continuous improvements to the Capitol Corridor in the next year.
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November 28, 2011
Well, we did it.
By “we” I mean Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), Caltrans Division of Rail and Amtrak—and by “it” I mean free wireless service.
Starting today, Cyber Monday 2011, riders on California’s three popular intercity passenger trains can stay connected no matter which route you take in the state. We picked today to announce this exciting news to tie in with the busiest Internet holiday shopping day of the year, allowing passengers onboard to shop online. That’s something you certainly can’t do while driving!
Using any laptop computer or Wi-Fi enabled device, passengers traveling on the Capitol Corridor (Auburn-Sacramento-Emeryville/SF-Oakland-San Jose), San Joaquin (Sacramento-Oakland-Bakersfield), and Pacific Surfliner (San Diego- LA-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo) trains now can connect to the Internet through AmtrakConnect SM for general Web surfing and using e-mail. Passengers also can use the Wi-Fi service to access corporate networks through most standard Virtual Private Networks (VPN), turning train trips into productive work time. Today, when I rode Train 525 I noticed most of the passengers who accessed our Wi-Fi service were getting an early start to their work day by sorting through their emails before they hit the office.
Once again, the CCJPA used its customer-focused business model to implement this project. We listened to our riders who made it clear that Wi-Fi on trains was their number one request and we made it our top customer service priority to follow though.
Not only will you be entertained, connected and productive while you ride, many will save up to $700 a year in “air card” costs as well!
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November 15, 2011
Thanks to new and loyal passengers, the Capitol Corridor ended its federal fiscal year (FFY2011) with superior results. Over 1.7 million passengers rode Capitol Corridor from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. I attribute Capitol Corridor’s success to the high on-time performance (OTP) we achieved this year—kudos to Union Pacific Railroad’s stellar dispatching and Amtrak’s commitment to improve mechanical performance. Because of their efforts our OTP hit an average of 95% this year, which keeps the Capitol Corridor as the nation’s most reliable intercity route in the Amtrak system. Northern California travelers have made the Capitol Corridor one of the most popular intercity passenger rail services in the nation and demonstrated that travelers who try trains, stay on trains.
Gearing up for Thanksgiving Travel
Speaking of popularity, last year’s Thanksgiving travelers who chose trains over driving helped to make that holiday weekend the busiest in Capitol Corridor’s service history. Fortunately, we had the foresight to be prepared by adding 5,700 seats on the Capitol Corridor, a 14% increase in seating availability. Plans are in the works to accommodate this year’s Thanksgiving passengers as well!
If you’re traveling by train this holiday season, here are a few travel tips:
- Avoid the Rush: Busiest travel days are the Wednesday before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Purchase tickets (especially for round trip travel) early online at capitolcorridor.org, Quik-Trak ticket vending kiosks or ticket windows at staffed stations. Allow plenty of time at stations prior to departure – at least 45 minutes before if tickets need to be picked up. If your trip includes a bus connection, please book in advance to ensure yourself a seat. Print out your ticket confirmation and bring it with you aboard the bus.
- Know the Limits: Note the limit of two carry-on bags per person (excluding laptops, purses, briefcases and infant paraphernalia), and be sure all luggage is tagged with your name and address. Each bag must weigh less than 50 lbs.
- Carry Photo ID: Passengers are required to show valid, government-issued photo identification when purchasing tickets and to ride Capitol Corridor trains and connecting buses.
Gentle Reminder about Travel Etiquette
With so many new passengers on board, I need to gently remind riders about public transit etiquette. Please refrain from having loud mobile phone conversations or music players when you ride. I also ask that you help make everyone’s Capitol Corridor experience a positive one by storing your stuff in the overhead bin instead of the seat next to you; keeping your feet on the floor instead of the seats; and please use the trash and recycle receptacles for your litter.
We know that public transit is a travel option. We are grateful to the over 1.7 million passengers who chose to ride instead of drive. Stay tuned to this site for the big announcement of our latest customer service enhancement—our way of saying “Thanks” for riding our trains!
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October 14, 2011
On Friday, October 21, decisions on Capitol Hill will be made—actions that could have a devastating impact on intercity passenger rail (IPR) service in our country. This is the date the Senate will vote on the FY2012 Transportation-HUD (THUD) Appropriations Act.
To convince federal legislators to support passenger rail, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) let Congress know that our IPR service strongly opposes the House of Representatives’ proposed THUD Appropriations Act because it includes a provision that eliminates Amtrak’s ability to use federal funds to support the operation of state-supported IPR trains. Such a drastic change to federal policy is short-sighted and would force cuts and eliminate critical Amtrak resources to support popular state IPR trains (like the Capitol Corridor) at a time when those routes are experiencing historic ridership levels.
States have invested millions of dollars to make these IPR routes, which have resulted in these state routes carrying half of Amtrak’s 30 million riders a year. But the House THUD proposal would eliminate Amtrak funding support for state IPR routes effective immediately in FY2012. Of the twenty-seven (27) state IPR routes in the nation, eleven (11) are either partially state-funded or solely Amtrak-funded and could not under such short notice absorb the burden of the full operating cost of IPR service on such short notice.
What You Can Do
As a voting member of the public, we ask that you contact your Congressional leader or Senator to let them know what you think of IPR services in our country—but do it soon as the deadline for public input is October 21, 2011.
As CCJPA’s Managing Director, I’ve been closely involved with other IPR managers to develop strategies to move states towards funding their own IPR costs. The answer is in Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. It’s a mouthful, but worth reading about.
Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008
The House provision undermines the current efforts by Amtrak and states to implement a policy that will increase state participation and financial contribution to the Amtrak system, significantly reducing federal financial support of state IPR corridor train operations. Amtrak, working in partnership with the states, has developed a standard methodology to allocate, in a fair and equitable manner, the direct operating costs of IPR routes that are to be supported by states. This methodology is found in Section 209 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) (P.L. 110-432, Division B).
The Section 209 policy has been approved by the Amtrak Board of Directors and was released to the affected IPR states for concurrence with an implementation date of October 16, 2013 (FY2014). This two-year transitional period is necessary, particularly for those states that have not funded the operation of their routes in the past. Under the current proposal in the House FY2012 THUD Appropriations Act, the immediate shift of IPR costs to deficit-ridden states will force the reduction or outright elimination of these popular state IPR services, leaving millions of citizens without an affordable intercity travel option.
As the House and Senate works on reconciling the final THUD spending bill for FY2012, the CCJPA respectfully requested that this committee reject the House provision and allow the states and Amtrak to move forward with the Section 209 policy so that states can begin to fund Amtrak costs directly associated with the operation of the their IPR routes in a timely manner. The CCJPA also requested that our federal leaders appropriate funding to Amtrak that will allow it to provide critical core services and facilities to support the operation of the national IPR network. Thirty million passengers a year clearly demonstrate that Americans want IPR as a transportation option.
How CCJPA Fits in the Funding Puzzle
As background, the CCJPA currently pays all the operating support for the Capitol Corridor service, however, the implementation of Section 209 will stabilize (and perhaps reduce) the CCJPA operating costs as more states participate in the funding of Amtrak-operated IPR corridor trains. Some state IPR corridors are in a less fortunate situation because Amtrak provides direct funding support to 11 out of 27 state IPRs in the nation. Our main concern is that funding cuts or limiting language to Amtrak could have implications in Amtrak’s indirect support for Capitol Corridor service such as ticketing channels, training and supervisory and management level staffing.
Again, if you want your voice heard about this very important public transportation issue, please contact your Congressional leader or Senator before October 21, 2011.
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September 23, 2011
On Thursday, September 15 California rail officials came together to unveil this year’s “Rail Safety Month” locomotive wrap. It serves as our mobile “billboard” to remind California residents that they need to keep safety in mind each and every time they approach a railroad crossing.
September 2011 commemorates the third Rail Safety Month in California, which was initiated by Senator Carol Liu (D-Glendale). Rail Safety Month provides the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority the opportunity to team up with both public and private partners to help build public awareness about rail safety along our corridor. I want to point out that since Senator Liu’s first Rail Safety Month resolution in 2009, incidents involving Capitol Corridor trains have declined steadily thanks to the efforts of our service partners – Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak, and the Caltrans Division of Rail.
For me, this year’s graphic is the strongest one we’ve used so far as it illustrates how death by train is a tragedy that affects us all. The collection of 217 handprints the Caltrans Division of Rail gathered this summer forms one large handprint. It’s a powerful symbol that shows a trespasser incident not only strikes down the victim, it’s a horrible event that touches us all. Such accidents also hurts the victim’s surviving loved ones and harms the psyche of the train engineer, conductors, passengers and the first responders who must deal with the tragic memory.
The 10,500 trains we run annually necessitates our efforts to promote rail safety 365 days a year. To that end, our service has reinvested your tax dollars into multiple safety and security projects throughout out system. These safety projects include installation of:
- video surveillance equipment at six (6) unstaffed stations along the Corridor
- fencing to discourage trespassers from going on railroad tracks in Richmond and Oakland Jack London Square.
We are working closely with the Union Pacific and cities of Hayward and Suisun to install fencing in those cities this year as well.
As California’s Rail Safety month comes to a close, I wanted to underscore that safety and security is a top priority seven days a week, 52 weeks a year for the Capitol Corridor. If crossing railroad tracks is part of your daily or weekly routine, please be “track smart.” Trains can’t swerve to avoid people walking, playing or illegally crossing railroad tracks. Remember: Stay off the tracks, stay alive.
Train wrap
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August 29, 2011
Transportation is a field with much promise. As Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority’s Managing Director, I want to tout the transportation industry as a solid career choice.
Although I’ve had the privilege to speak at countless venues and in front of a wide spectrum of audiences, I was especially excited to serve as guest lecturer for the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) transportation studies program. For those not familiar with the MTI, it’s a program that offers a Masters and two Certificate programs with curriculum aimed to elevate the education of transportation professionals.
Speaking before MTI students gave me an avenue to express my enthusiasm for public transportation’s upward trend, its current renaissance and the opportunities one may find in this field.
Twenty-four years ago, when I embarked on my career path, the MTI was not yet established. Instead, my first steps in transportation began as an intern while still an undergrad. I started on the ground floor, learned all I could and climbed up to my current position on the rungs of the ‘transit planning’ ladder, promoting into jobs of greater responsibility until I was appointed to helm the Capitol Corridor.
As a life-long transportation professional, I can see that this country is truly experiencing a rebirth in transportation. It’s an exciting time for the industry. Whether starting from the ground up, or taking the scholastic route, if a career in transportation is your objective, be confident that this industry is filled with opportunities.
Ideology aside, our current leaders see the need to reinvest in transportation, not only to maintain what service exists today, but for future growth, especially here in California—where notwithstanding the current economic challenges—the State will continue to grow. This means that a career in transportation is a solid choice. Whether you seek employment in the private or public sector, it’s a path ripe for opportunity.
Remember: Jobs in transportation can’t be outsourced!
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August 4, 2011
According to “The Phrase Finder,” newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane first coined the expression, “Use a picture. It’s worth a thousand words,” in March 1911 when addressing the Syracuse Advertising Men’s Club (somewhere along the line it was attributed to ancient philosophers, but that’s a topic for somebody else’s blog).
If a picture is worth one thousand words then a link must be worth 10,000 don’t you think?
For more than a year, I’ve updated you on several Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority projects including our Automated Ticket (ATV) hand-held device pilot and the upcoming Wi-Fi installation. No doubt you’ve also heard about Capitol Corridor’s upward trend of increased ridership or funding for new trains cars. Recently, my staff shared several links with me of broadcast and print news stories that did a solid job of showing viewers these very topics:
• This news coverage about the 14% increase in ridership train ridership—specifically in reference to the growth that the Capitol Corridor experienced this winter—does a great job in capturing why customers choose riding trains over driving;
• A story about our announcement to offer free Wi-Fi on our trains by the end of the year conveys the excitement and anticipation of our passengers for this upcoming service;
• KCRA’s story about Capitol Corridor’s Automated Ticket Validator pilot program underscores the safety and security application our pilot program may achieve;
• A recent travel article about the City of Suisun on sfgate.com poetically weaved the Capitol Corridor service into its feature about this quaint delta town, and
• Finally, here’s an account of the US Department of Transportation’s multi-million dollar boost for American-made, state-of-the-art rail cars earmarked for Capitol Corridor service.
If you’re aware of news stories about the Capitol Corridor that you’d like to share with us let me know in the “Comment” section below!
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July 18, 2011
Get On Board (formerly Message to Riders)
Number 43 ● July 2011
Dear Valued Riders:
The year is half over and I have a lot of news to share. First the very good news! Last month Governor Brown passed the State budget, which means State funding for Capitol Corridor operations is secure for this fiscal year. In addition, the budget provides the required match for the federal funding allocated for new rail cars. You may remember my May announcement of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s award of $68 million for state-of-the-art rail cars. Securing that federal grant depended on a State match, so the Governor’s budget is welcome news for passenger rail services throughout California. The next steps to procure these new cars are to develop and execute the agreement obligating the $68 million to the State of California.
The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) is especially thrilled to expand our rail car fleet as our upward performance trend is now at sixteen consecutive months where ridership and revenue have exceeded prior year monthly results. We need more rail cars to accommodate both our new and loyal customers.
Speaking of expansion, in November the Capitol Corridor will add another stop in the Silicon Valley. Caltrain is expected to complete their renovations and add a grade-separated center platform at the Caltrain Santa Clara Station in Fall 2011. Stopping at this station means Capitol Corridor trains will serve customers going to the San Jose/Mineta International Airport and Santa Clara University.
Also, we expect the Capitol Corridor wireless project will be completed, which means free internet access for our riders by the end of 2011! Currently, the prototype trains are being outfitted with wireless equipment. Once these trains are fine tuned, tested internally and pass muster, the rest of our fleet will be equipped.
Thanks for Fighting Hunger this Year!
We are grateful that so many people once again stepped up to the community plate to “Fight Hunger One Stop at Time.” We are proud to announce that this year’s food drive exceeded the results from last year’s efforts. Of the seven Capitol Corridor/Amtrak stations that hosted bins, similar to last year, Sacramento yielded the most donations. Donors who used that station gave 680 of the 1231 total pounds of food collected during the Fight Hunger One Stop at a Time campaign. In fact, donations in the smaller communities were up compared to last year as well:
• Davis Station donations went up 49 percent
• Martinez 54 percent; and in
• Emeryville we collected an amazing 207 percent more food!
Bikes on Board
A great number of our customers use bikes to access our trains to reach their final destination. While we welcome this green mode of transport, the CCJPA’s number one goal is the safe transport of passengers to their destinations. Our top priority, which is shared by Amtrak, our operating partner, is passenger and employee safety while traveling on Capitol Corridor trains. Safe bicycle storage on board Capitol Corridor trains is not only our concern, it is a requirement of federal regulatory agencies which govern passenger train travel, and therefore, we have raised our collective attention to on-train bicycle storage.
The demand for on-train bike storage space is tracking very closely with the recent rise in fuel costs as well as the continued surge in ridership. As such, the need for more bike storage space is at a premium on many Capitol Corridor trains. To this end we are working with Caltrans, the entity that owns the railcars, and Amtrak to address bikes on board–not only to increase bike capacity on Capitol Corridor trains, but on a new bicycle policy as well. This new policy is being developed by a working group consisting of CCJPA and Amtrak staff, plus Capitol Corridor bicycle users. We expect to roll out this new policy in the coming months.
When it comes to bicycle storage, there are individual measures which help our bicycle-using passengers collectively retain as much on-train bicycle capacity as possible. In addition, we recognize that many cyclists have solid suggestions to help create bicycle storage capacity on the train, so we welcome your constructive ideas. If you’d like to pass along your bike storage idea, feel free to contact us at trains@capitolcorridor.org.
Rail Safety
Finally, I must speak to the recent spike of delays caused by trespasser incidents on our corridor. In June the Capitol Corridor experienced four trespasser incidents—three were fatalities—and we’ve had one fatality in July so far. These incidents are almost always avoidable and are devastating to the loved ones of the deceased, train crew members and the passengers onboard the trains. When near railroad tracks please follow rail safety practices:
Cross safely! The only safe place to cross railroad tracks is at a public crossing—designated by safety signs. Look both ways and listen before crossing train tracks. Expect a train at any time.
Don’t be distracted. Turn your cell phone and iPod or other MP3 players off when you’re near train tracks; texting or checking your emails can also be deadly distractions near the tracks. Trains are quieter than you think, go faster than they appear, and do not run on set schedules.
Never race a train. If you see a train coming, don’t try to ‘beat’ it, stay off the tracks. Also, an approaching train will always be closer and moving faster than you think
Avoid trespassing. Tracks, trestles and train yards are all private property. For your safety, we ask you to avoid socializing or ‘hanging out’ near railroad tracks.
Remember: Rail and recreation don’t mix! Never walk, bike, jog, or run down a train track; it’s illegal and it’s dangerous. By the time a locomotive engineer can see a person or a vehicle on the tracks, it is too late because trains can’t swerve! The train cannot stop quickly enough to avoid a collision.
In conclusion, despite the recent spike in these tragedies, I am thankful for the overall positive year we have had so far. We are fortunate that we have a solid fiscal structure, more riders on our trains and we’ve maintained the number one spot for on-time performance this year.
Thank you for your continued loyalty to the Capitol Corridor service. We strive to deliver you, our paying customer, a high-quality transportation experience. We welcome your comments; feel free to contact us via capitolcorridor.org or at 877-974-3322.
Thank you for riding the Capitol Corridor!
David B. Kutrosky
CCJPA Managing Director
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