California State Rail Plan 2005-06 to 2015-16

Chapter VII – San Joaquin Route
PASSENGER SAFETY, COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, AND
INFORMATION
In the short-term, the Department has a number of projects to improve passenger
amenities, including improved: real-time signage at stations and on board, food
service, and electronic passenger information. The Department will continue to
explore the latest technology to improve passenger safety, comfort, convenience,
and information.
INTERMODAL CONNECTIVITY
In 2003-04, the Department initiated a program on the San Joaquins where
conductors offer free transfers to participating transit services. Within the ten-year
period, the Department plans to expand this program to all major transit providers
on the Route. Expansion of marketing and passenger information programs will
provide additional information on intermodal connectivity with local transit.
The Department also plans to expand and improve Amtrak Thruway bus service
on the Route.
TRAVEL TIMES
Current Bakersfield to Oakland travel time averages 6 hours-11 minutes, and
Bakersfield to Sacramento averages 5 hours-19 minutes. The travel time goals
below assume that the unconstrained capital program described in Chapter II is
fully implemented. The Department’s goal is to reduce travel times as follows:
• Oakland to Bakersfield 5 hours-51 minutes (20 minute reduction).
• Sacramento to Bakersfield 5 hours-5 minutes (14 minute reduction).
Running time reductions on both route segments will be accomplished through the
completion of capital projects that are discussed above under “On-Time
Performance”.
RIDERSHIP, REVENUE, AND FAREBOX RATIO
The Department’s goals for ridership, revenue and farebox will be achieved
through the capital, operational and service improvements, and service expansions
discussed in this Chapter as well as in Chapters II, III, and IV. They are as
follows:
• Increase annual ridership 47 percent from 773,000 to 1,133,000.
• Increase annual revenues 70 percent from $23.9 million to $40.7 million.
• Increase revenue/cost (farebox) ratio from 46.8 percent to 49.1 percent.
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