COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEM RIDERSHIP TRENDS. February 2011

Transcription

1 COMMUTER RAIL SYSTEM RIDERSHIP TRENDS February 2011 Prepared by the Division of Capital & Strategic Planning April 2011

2 I. OVERVIEW COMMUTER RAIL RIDERSHIP TRENDS February 2011 Reported system ridership (including free senior and Circuit Permit trips) in February 2011 decreased 1.8% compared to the same time period in February 2011 had an equal number of weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays when compared to February However, ridership in early February was impacted by the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011 when over 20 inches of snow fell in a 24-hour period between the afternoons of February 1 and 2, In fact, Metra provided only Sunday-level service on February 2, 2011 due to the blizzard (five lines had no ridership). A typical load count for February 2011 was approximately 297,000. The weekday passenger load count on February 2 was only 13,000, while February 1 was 266,000, and February 3 was 221,000. As a result, February 2011 is considered to have one less weekday and one additional Sunday when compared to February This important assumption is reflected in the tables and figures below and on pages 2 and 3. After adjusting for those calendar differences, February 2011 ridership (including free trips) was 0.3% lower than February System Ridership February (in 000s) Percent Change vs11 10vs11 Reported 6,322 6,051 5, % -2.0% Free Trips % 1.7% Total (Reported & Free) 6,576 6,340 6, % -1.8% Free Trips & Calendar-Adjusted 6,602 6,366 6, % -0.3% December-February (Last 3 months) 20,109 19,301 19, % -0.9% January-February (Year-to-Date) 13,382 12,851 12, % -0.6% Last 12 Months 86,044 81,754 81, % -0.6% P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[SYSTRIDE.xls]tables formatted 4 text Figure 1 (below) presents system ridership adjusted for calendar differences by month since The twelve-month rolling average is included to display the underlying trend in passenger use. Figure 1: Calendar-Adjusted System Ridership (in thousands) 8,500 8,000 7,500 7,000 6,500 6,000 5, Calendar-Adjusted 12-Month Rolling Average Table 1 and Figure 2 (pg. 2) present calendar-adjusted monthly ridership totals for the Metra system.

3 Table 1 Metra System Passenger Trips by Month (Adjusted for free trips & calendar differences) Passenger Trips (in 000's) Year-to-Year Percent Change vs vs vs. 11 January 7,711 6,848 6,649 6, % -2.9% -0.9% February 6,293 6,602 6,366 6, % -3.6% -0.3% March 6,639 6,848 6, % -2.5% April 7,007 6,682 6, % -0.2% May 7,252 6,817 6, % -0.1% June 7,633 7,134 7, % 0.7% July 7,992 7,222 7, % -1.1% August 7,577 7,154 7, % -0.1% September 7,374 6,846 6, % -0.8% October 7,528 6,999 7, % 0.7% November 6,987 6,765 6, % -0.4% December 6,684 6,337 6, % -2.6% Annual Total 86,677 82,254 81,393 12, % -1.0% Figure 2: System Ridership Adjusted for free trips & calendar differences 8,500 8,000 7,500 Thousands 7,000 6,500 6,000 5,500 5,000 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Note: On February 1, 2008, Metra raised fares 10 percent. Due to the fact that Ten-Ride tickets are good for a year from date of purchase, in January 2008, many riders purchased multiple Ten-Ride tickets (stockpiled the tickets) in order to defer the fare increase until their pre-purchased tickets were depleted. Rides on Ten-Ride tickets are applied to the month that the ticket was purchased, which creates a marked increase in the month before the fare increase occurs (January 2008), followed by a sharp decline in the following 2-3 months (February - May 2008). -2-

4 II. RIDERSHIP INFLUENCES Many different factors influence day-to-day and year-to-year ridership trends. Some factors are within Metra s control, such as service improvements, new stations, and marketing promotions. However, many more factors (such as weather, gas prices and the economy) that are outside of Metra s direct control can influence ridership in a positive or negative manner. The following pages detail some of the factors believed to have influenced recent changes in year-to-year Metra ridership levels. Calendar Differences As shown on the table (below), February 2011 had one less weekday and one additional Sunday when compared to February As discussed on page 1, it is important to note that on Wednesday, February 2, 2011, Metra provided only Sunday-level service due to the Groundhog Day blizzard of 2011, which delivered over 20 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. Thus, the table below reflects February 2, 2011 as a Sunday. Weekday Saturday Sunday/Holiday All Days Diff Diff Diff Diff Jan Feb YEAR-TO-DATE Line Upgrades/Extensions and Service Enhancements North Central Service On February 1, 2010, two station stops (Libertyville and Lake Forest on the MD-N Line) were added to the last NCS inbound run which operates express via the MD-N Line from Grayslake to Union Station. In addition, a stop at Western Avenue was added to a midday outbound train. Service improvements provide an early afternoon outbound train for passengers utilizing the Western Avenue bus connections and increases service to the Libertyville and Lake Forest Stations. Milwaukee District North On February 1, 2010, two station stops (Libertyville and Lake Forest on the MD-N Line) were added to the last NCS inbound run which operates express via the MD-N Line from Grayslake to Union Station. In addition, one p.m. peak inbound train and four weekend trains (two outbound/two inbound) received minor schedule adjustments. One inbound and one outbound train on both Saturday and Sunday make flag stops at Grayland when the Cubs are playing at home. Service improvements increased the schedule accuracy, added service to two stations and increased service to the Grayland Station for Chicago Cubs home games. BNSF - Major construction to accommodate the Belmont Road Grade Separation project near the Belmont Station in Downers Grove started in July 2010 and requires the BNSF Line to be reduced from three tracks to two tracks near the Belmont Station. On July 12, 2010 the train schedule was adjusted because some express trains will no longer be able to pass local trains in the area, since the third passing track will be unavailable. Additional weekday schedule changes were made to make run times more accurately reflect actual operating conditions, resulting in more reliable service. -3-

5 In addition to the weekday changes, several outbound weekend trains now departed 10 minutes later than the previous schedule, which created a more consistent schedule. Union Pacific North - From August 22 to October 2, 2010, a substantially revised schedule was operated on the UP-N Line. This schedule was introduced to accommodate the upcoming bridge-replacement project between the Rogers Park and Clybourn Stations. The new schedule had the same number of trains in both directions, but virtually all trains in the peak periods, and many in off-peak periods and weekends, offered altered arrival and departure times from both terminals and intermediate stations. In addition, the station-stop patterns of many of the trains were changed, which in particular affected riders going to and from intermediate stations. A decision was made to re-evaluate the bridge project, and the line reverted to its original schedule on October 3, Metra will resume work in April 2011 on the major project to replace 22 aging bridges along the Union Pacific North line on the north side of Chicago, as well as to build a completely new Ravenswood Station. Unlike last summer, when Metra tried to operate inbound and outbound UP North trains on a single track in the construction zone, the new plan calls for maintaining the existing two-track operation. Thus, the current UP North schedule will not be changed. Roadway Construction Projects Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) Resurfacing and Bridge Repair Project In early April 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation began a project to resurface 27 miles of the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) from Thorndale Avenue to the Circle Interchange. As part of this project, 37 bridges were slated for repair. During bridge repairs, the expressway was reduced to two lanes in each direction until late June The project will be completed in April 2011, but lane closures were no longer in effect by December Congress Parkway Bridge Reconstruction Project In April 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation began the reconstruction of the Congress Parkway Bridge over the Chicago River. The eastbound section of the bridge was rehabilitated between April 2010 and October 2010, and the westbound section of the bridge will be rehabilitated between April 2011 and October The following ramps have also been closed as of April 2010 as part of the project: southbound Wacker to westbound Congress, northbound Franklin Street to westbound Congress, the eastbound Kennedy Expressway to eastbound Congress, and the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway to eastbound Congress. Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project In April 2010, the Chicago Department of Transportation began the reconstruction of the upper and lower levels of Wacker Drive between Randolph Street and Congress Parkway. During this project, Lower Wacker will be reduced to one lane in each direction and the Congress Parkway- Wacker Drive ramp will be closed between April 2010 and December In addition, viaduct reconstruction of Upper Wacker Drive will begin in January 2011 at Randolph Street and will head south, resulting in intersection and block closings through the end of

6 Congress Parkway Improvement Project In summer 2010, the Chicago Department of Transportation began their project to upgrade and improve Congress Parkway from Michigan Avenue to Wells Street with a number of streetscaping, pedestrian, and bicycle access improvements. Congress Parkway has been reduced to three lanes inbound (eastbound) and two lanes outbound (westbound) for most of the project with temporary, off-peak eastbound lane closures reducing the inbound side to two lanes. The project will be completed in McCormick Place Although no major trade shows were conducted at McCormick Place during February, the Annual Chicago Auto Show (February 11-20), the Chicago Motorcycle Show (February 5) and the International Dog Show (February 24-27) were open to the public and contributed to ridership along the Metra District Electric Line. Additionally, with connecting CTA services, the popular Auto Show may have contributed to ridership in the recreational market throughout Metra s system. Downtown Activities There were several events that were held in the downtown area, which may have contributed to additional Metra ridership in the recreational market including the Chinese New Year Parade (February 6), staged along Wentworth Avenue and 22 nd Street, Chicago s Annual Restaurant Week (February 18-27), Northerly Island s Polar Adventure Days (February 26), and Navy Pier s annual Bridal Show (February 20). Downtown museums continued free days throughout the month (Shedd Aquarium offered eleven free days, Field Museum offered seven free days, and the Chicago Art Institute offered six free days). Beyond downtown, the Museum of Science and Industry, located within walking distance of Metra Electric s 55 th -56 th -57 th Street Station, offered free admission on five days. In addition, Brookfield Zoo, located along Metra s BNSF Line, offered free admission on sixteen days in the month of February. Weather Metra ridership is generally impacted in a positive manner during times of severe winter weather, as commuters choose Metra over the harsh driving conditions. However, this was not the case in early February during the Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011 when over 20 inches of snow fell in a 24-hour period between the afternoons of February 1 and 2, Overall snowfall for the month of February was 29.0 inches, which far exceeds the 45-year average snowfall for February (8.6 inches). The table (below) presents weather statistics for the last five winter seasons. Winter Weather Statistics Inches of Snowfall Days Below Zero Average Temperature Year Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar trace trace year Avg

7 Gas Prices - As shown on the table and graph (below), gas prices for February 2011 were $0.59 higher than the same period a year ago. The average retail price for a gallon of gasoline in February 2011 ($3.42) increased $0.05 compared to January 2011 ($3.37). Month Jan $2.29 $3.27 $2.02 $2.96 $3.37 Feb $2.36 $3.15 $2.02 $2.83 $3.42 Mar $2.60 $3.37 $2.10 $2.93 $3.78 Apr $3.05 $3.55 $2.21 $3.16 May $3.50 $4.00 $2.60 $3.21 Jun $3.59 $4.25 $2.98 $3.00 Jul $3.47 $4.34 $2.76 $2.95 Aug $3.11 $4.10 $2.82 $3.03 Sep $3.26 $3.99 $2.74 $3.11 Oct $2.95 $3.60 $2.63 $3.06 Nov $3.24 $2.52 $2.62 $3.16 Dec $3.15 $1.74 $2.56 $3.20 Avg $3.05 $3.49 $2.51 $3.05 $3.52 Cook County Average Gas Prices $5.00 $4.50 $4.00 $3.50 $3.00 $2.50 $2.00 $1.50 $ Reported Rolling 12-Month Avg Economy As shown on the table and graph (below), the number of persons employed in the sixcounty area for the month of February 2011 increased (1.5%) over last year. Regional Employment Trends Month vs vs. 11 Jan 4,138 4,149 3,925 3,784 3, % 1.8% Feb 4,126 4,161 3,891 3,806 3, % 1.5% Mar 4,135 4,168 3,878 3, % Apr 4,126 4,180 3,887 3, % May 4,129 4,157 3,894 3, % Jun 4,197 4,168 3,934 3, % Jul 4,228 4,141 3,951 3, % Aug 4,179 4,090 3,902 3, % Sep 4,169 4,072 3,860 3, % Oct 4,165 4,014 3,862 3, % Nov 4,213 4,029 3,882 3, % Dec 4,194 4,000 3,835 3, % annual avg 4,167 4,111 3,892 3,874 3, % 1.6% thousands 4,300 4,200 4,100 4,000 3,900 3,800 3,700 3,600 Feb 00' Feb 09' Feb 08' Feb 07' Feb 06' Feb 05' Feb 04' Feb 03' Feb 02' Feb 01' Reported 12 Month Average Source: Illinois Dept. Of Employment Security Feb 10' Feb 11' Office Occupancy - The graph (below) provides occupancy rates for downtown Chicago and suburban locations. In the Fourth Quarter of 2010, downtown Chicago posted an 83.0% office occupancy rate, which has remained the same as last quarter (83.0%). The suburbs posted a 76.7% office occupancy rate, which is slightly higher than last quarter (76.4%). Quarterly Office Occupancy 95% % Office Space Occupied 90% 85% 80% 75% CB Richard Ellis Downtown Chicago Suburban -6-

8 III. RIDERSHIP Table 2 (pg. 10) presents reported rail line ridership for three time periods (month, last three months, and last 12 months) for the last two years based on reported ticket sales. The table also shows the total reported ridership plus the free trips (senior and Circuit Permit) provided. Examining February ridership by line, the lines serving the South region are down by 3.2% from last year, the West region is down 0.2%, and the North region is down 2.4%. A system summary of ridership by fare zone for February 2011 and the December 2010 February 2011 period is provided on Table 3 (pg. 11). Figure 3 and Table 4 (pg. 12) provide data on average passenger trip length. Passenger load counts taken by conductors are useful in monitoring changes in ridership by time-of-day. Load counts are taken before the first stop on outbound trains and after the last stop before entering the downtown on inbound trains. Table 5 presents average daily conductor load counts by service period for December 2010 February 2011 (pg. 13). Seniors Ride Free Program Illinois lawmakers approved and Governor Blagojevich signed into law, through an amendatory veto process, free trips on fixed routes for seniors aged 65 and older living in the RTA s service region. Free trips began on March 17, Senior citizens meeting these criteria are eligible for free trips on Metra. Metra riders show their RTA-issued Senior Reduced Fare Card to the conductors to receive their free trip. Conductors record the senior load count on each train. The table (below) presents the average daily conductor load counts for senior trips by service period as well as the total number of free senior trips recorded for the month. It is important to note that Governor Quinn signed legislation on February 14, 2011 limiting senior free rides on CTA, Metra, and Pace to only low-income seniors, age 65 or older. Metra will be coordinating with RTA, CTA, and Pace on incorporating these program changes. The effective date for these changes is still pending. Seniors Riding Free Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010 Avg Wkday 12,660 12,111 12,808 12,491 12,486 12,597 12,454 12,124 12,073 12,812 11,960 11,682 Avg Sat 2,798 3,135 3,323 3,323 3,946 3,875 3,950 4,085 3,500 3,659 3,532 3,717 Avg Sun/Hol 1,509 1,824 1,905 2,144 2,420 2,444 2,496 2,746 2,328 2,115 1,978 2,016 Typical week 67,607 65,514 69,269 67,922 68,795 69,302 68,716 67,453 66,195 69,834 65,312 64,140 Total Reported 276, , , , , , , , , , , , Avg Wkday 12,263 12,298 Avg Sat 2,918 3,274 Avg Sun/Hol 1,795 1,769 Typical week 66,028 66,535 Total Reported 279, ,609 Most recent month's data from TOPS 03/25/11 P:\RIDE\Senior sridingfr ee\[senior stbls_nolinks.xls]senior scur r ent_tod&dow People with Disabilities Ride Free Program Illinois lawmakers approved and Governor Blagojevich signed into law Senate Bill 1920 in September This Bill allows free trips on fixed-route transit to riders issued a Circuit Permit as part of the new People with Disabilities Ride Free Program. The legislation requires free trips on fixed-route and regularly scheduled transit in the RTA s service region be made available to any Illinois resident who has been enrolled as a person with a disability in the Illinois Circuit Breaker program. The People with Disabilities Ride Free Program officially began on October 24, Metra riders show their RTA-issued Circuit Permit to the conductors to receive their free trip. Conductors record the Circuit Permit load on each -7-

9 train. The table (below) presents the average daily conductor load counts for Circuit Permit trips by service period as well as the total number of Circuit Permit trips recorded for the month. Circuit-Breaker-Permit Holders Riding Free Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010 Avg Wkday 1,089 1,182 1,170 1,544 1,644 1,827 1,963 1,972 1,971 2,096 1,902 1,623 Avg Sat , Avg Sun/Hol Typical week 6,155 6,772 6,845 8,789 9,492 10,509 11,260 11,342 11,436 12,062 10,920 9,293 Total Reported 25,617 27,086 30,888 38,244 39,701 45,689 48,446 49,861 48,334 51,927 46,085 41, Avg Wkday 1,648 1,735 Avg Sat Avg Sun/Hol Typical week 9,411 9,938 Total Reported 40,109 38,444 Most recent month's data from TOPS 03/25/11 P:\RIDE\Cir cper msridingfree\[cir cper mstbls_nolinks.xls]cir cper mscur rent_tod&dow Reduced-Fare Sales In collaboration with the RTA s Reduced-Fare Permit Program, Metra allows qualified users to ride Metra at a reduced rate. The following types of users are eligible to receive a reduced-fare permit through the RTA s Reduced-Fare Permit Program and hence Metra is eligible for reimbursement of the lost revenue by IDOT. All senior citizens who are within three weeks of their 65 th birthday or older (see Seniors Ride Free Program above) Medicare card recipients receiving Social Security benefits People with disabilities who receive Social Security benefits Veterans with disabilities who receive Service-connected disability benefits People with disabilities whose doctors validate their disability Full-time students enrolled in an accredited grade school or high school with a valid letter of certification from their school (on school stationery) or a valid school I.D. bearing the student's name, school name and authorized signature. The table below shows the reduced-fare rides and revenues by month that are eligible for IDOT reimbursement. Metra also offers reduced-fare tickets to children ages 7 to 11 (saves 50 percent over one-way fares) and to military personnel (may purchase one-way or ten-ride tickets at a reduced fare provided they present proper military identification indicating they are on active duty). These reduced-fare sales are not eligible for reimbursement by IDOT and thus are not included in the table below. Reduced-Fare Rides & Revenue Eligible for IDOT Reimbursement Month Rides Revenue January 123,741 $195,453 February 107,903 $167,058 March April May June July August September October November December Annual Total 231,644 $362,511-8-

10 Accessible Equipment Use - The system became fully accessible (at least one accessible car per train) in May The chart (below) presents lift usage by month since Trips Utilizing Accessible Equipment 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, *Most recent month's data from TOPS 03/25/11 Bike Program On June 1, 2005, Metra implemented the Bikes on Trains program allowing three bikes in each diesel rail accessible car and two bikes per car on the Metra Electric District. Bikes are allowed on weekday off-peak trains, including reverse commute trains, and on all weekend trains. In April 2010, the program was expanded to allow five bikes in each diesel rail accessible car (two bikes per car will remain allowed on the Metra Electric District). Some blackout dates apply for special events that typically generate higher ridership, e.g., Taste of Chicago. The table (below) shows the average usage by month for the program Bicycles Carried Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Avg Wkday Avg Sat Avg Sun/Hol Typical week 1,659 1,811 2,859 4,412 5,403 4,851 5,948 5,898 6,280 5,933 4,778 2,328 Total Reported 7,052 7,243 12,849 19,039 23,646 21,012 26,015 26,067 26,776 25,924 20,260 10, Avg Wkday Avg Sat Avg Sun/Hol Typical week 2,125 2,053 Total Reported 9,111 8,009 Most recent month's data from TOPS 03/25/11 P :\RIDE\BikesCar r ied\[bikescar r iedtbls_nolinks.xls]bikescar r iedcur r ent_tod&dow -9-

11 Table 2: Passenger Trips by Rail Line Line estimates beginning in August 2010 may be affected by the implementation of a new revenue accounting system which provides more precise line breakdowns then our previous systems were able to provide. Reported Reported & Free Trips February 2010 vs vs %Change %Change BNSF 1,224,439 1,210, % 1,262,713 1,251, % Electric Lines 772, , % 805, , % Heritage 58,164 56, % 59,226 57, % Milw-N 506, , % 531, , % Milw-W 477, , % 501, , % North Central 120, , % 125, , % Rock Island 671, , % 688, , % SouthWest 195, , % 200, , % UP-N 736, , % 804, , % UP-NW 729, , % 778, , % UP-W 557, , % 581, , % SYSTEM * 6,051,094 5,931, % 6,340,237 6,225, % January-February 2010 vs vs %Change %Change BNSF 2,479,788 2,492, % 2,562,939 2,581, % Electric Lines 1,536,851 1,515, % 1,601,747 1,583, % Heritage 115, , % 117, , % Milw-N 1,034,146 1,011, % 1,088,800 1,068, % Milw-W 967,746 1,002, % 1,013,161 1,074, % North Central 245, , % 255, , % Rock Island 1,353,090 1,309, % 1,386,485 1,345, % SouthWest 392, , % 402, , % UP-N 1,521,359 1,446, % 1,658,145 1,556, % UP-NW 1,483,938 1,499, % 1,586,194 1,608, % UP-W 1,129,617 1,135, % 1,177,844 1,184, % SYSTEM * 12,260,051 12,158, % 12,851,053 12,773, % Last vs vs Months %Change %Change BNSF 15,672,573 15,721, % 16,161,116 16,305, % Electric Lines 9,890,704 9,557, % 10,273,292 9,996, % Heritage 705, , % 717, , % Milw-N 6,695,444 6,484, % 7,072,091 6,862, % Milw-W 6,295,256 6,404, % 6,580,457 6,777, % North Central 1,545,171 1,511, % 1,609,037 1,581, % Rock Island 8,577,293 8,271, % 8,800,791 8,512, % SouthWest 2,401,560 2,381, % 2,466,728 2,454, % UP-N 9,724,175 9,260, % 10,535,549 10,017, % UP-NW 9,352,606 9,595, % 10,007,759 10,307, % UP-W 7,231,647 7,436, % 7,529,223 7,784, % SYSTEM * 78,092,030 77,304, % 81,753,684 81,290, % P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[RIDETAB.XLS]A -10-

12 February 2010 vs. February 2011 Zone Pair Miles Change % Change Percent Share AA ,652 21, % 0.3% 0.4% AB , ,601-21, % 7.9% 7.7% AC , ,532-27, % 13.2% 13.0% AD , ,313-10, % 16.0% 16.1% AE ,252,876 1,248,654-4, % 20.7% 21.1% AF , ,122-5, % 12.6% 12.8% AG , ,851-4, % 8.0% 8.1% AH , ,539-2, % 6.7% 6.8% AI , ,340 1, % 2.2% 2.3% AJ ,965 26, % 0.4% 0.4% AK ,313 31, % 0.5% 0.5% AM ,894 7, % 0.1% 0.1% Intermediate* 256, ,011-20, % 4.2% 4.0% Conductor 257, ,487-5, % 4.3% 4.3% Group 1,888 3,993 2, % 0.0% 0.1% Weekend Ticket 181, ,582-23, % 3.0% 2.7% Total 6,051,094 5,931, , % 100.0% 100.0% Last Three Months Zone Percent Share Pair Miles Change % Change AA ,264 60, % 0.3% 0.3% AB ,398,270 1,355,039-43, % 7.6% 7.5% AC ,388,565 2,348,224-40, % 13.0% 12.9% AD ,874,064 2,886,864 12, % 15.6% 15.9% AE ,746,566 3,778,373 31, % 20.4% 20.8% AF ,262,967 2,287,855 24, % 12.3% 12.6% AG ,446,672 1,456,426 9, % 7.9% 8.0% AH ,202,399 1,233,868 31, % 6.5% 6.8% AI , ,360 15, % 2.2% 2.3% AJ ,711 80,371-1, % 0.4% 0.4% AK ,359 95, % 0.5% 0.5% AM ,005 26,324 1, % 0.1% 0.1% Intermediate* 747, ,580-27, % 4.1% 4.0% Conductor 890, ,204-38, % 4.8% 4.7% Group 27,144 48,241 21, % 0.1% 0.3% Weekend Ticket 799, , , % 4.3% 3.1% Total 18,408,471 18,173, , % 100.0% 100.0% *Trips that do not begin or end in Fare Zone A. Note: Free trips are not included. Table 3 System Ridership by Fare Zone -11-

13 Figure 3 Metra System* Average Trip Distance (Rolling 3-Month Averages) Miles *Does not include free trips Table 4 Passenger Miles & Average Trip Length by Rail Line January-February Line estimates beginning in August 2010 may be affected by the implementation of a new revenue accounting system which provides more precise line breakdowns then our previous systems were able to provide. Line Passenger Miles (in 000's) % Chng Average Trip Length Change % Chng in Trips % Chng BNSF 58,621 59, % 0.5% % Electric Lines 29,851 28, % -1.4% % Heritage 3,310 3, % -4.5% % Milw-North 24,579 22,373-2, % -2.2% % Milw-West 24,031 23, % 3.6% % North Central 7,725 7, % -2.0% % Rock Island 29,084 27,282-1, % -3.2% % SouthWest 7,489 7, % 0.7% % UP-North 30,113 28,847-1, % -4.9% % UP-NW 37,851 37, % 1.0% % UP-West 24,483 24, % 0.5% % System* 277, ,581-6, % -0.8% % *Does not include free trips. P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[TripDistance.xls]A -12-

14 Table 5 System Passenger Loads by Service Period December - January - February Service Period Passenger Loads % Change Share of Total* vs vs Average Weekday Peak Period/Peak Direction 242, , , % -3.7% 76% 76% 76% Peak Period/Reverse Dir 22,700 21,300 19, % -10.3% 7% 7% 7% Midday 34,000 34,600 32, % -4.9% 11% 11% 11% Evening 19,100 18,000 16, % -6.7% 6% 6% 6% Total Weekday 318, , , % -4.5% 100% 100% 100% Typical Week with Five Weekdays Weekday Peak Per/Peak Dir 1,213,500 1,144,000 1,102, % -3.7% 72% 71% 71% Weekday Off-Peak 379, , , % -6.9% 22% 23% 22% Saturday 63,300 63,500 63, % -0.8% 4% 4% 4% Sunday 37,700 39,200 36, % -6.9% 2% 2% 2% Total Week 1,693,500 1,616,200 1,545, % -4.4% 100% 100% 100% Total Off-Peak 480, , , % -6.1% 28% 29% 29% *Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding. -13-

15 IV. TICKET SALES Table 6 (pg. 16) provides a breakdown by rail line of February sales by ticket type for 2010 and Estimated ridership and revenue data are shown on Table 7 (pg. 17) according to ticket type for December 2010 February Table 8 (pg. 17) breaks down the December 2010 February 2011 ticket sales by method of purchase, which includes station (agents and vending machines), Ticket-by-Mail, Ticket-by-Internet, conductor sales on-train, and Commuter Benefit. The Commuter Benefit Program includes tickets distributed through the workplace by private concerns, including WageWorks. Table 8 also includes the percent change from the same period a year ago. Fare Adjustments On February 1, 2010, Metra s new fare structure became effective. The new fare structure included adjustments in one-way fares and on-board ticket purchases and the first change in the cost of weekend passes since the program began in One-way fares increased about six percent, an average of about 30 cents a ticket. The new one-way fare structure was intended to encourage customers to use 10-ride tickets and monthly passes, which already offered a discount over the one-way fares. In order to simplify on-board fare collection, the increases were rounded to the nearest quarter, a practice common with other commuter rail operations in the United States. To encourage riders to buy tickets at stations with ticket agents and over the Internet, the penalty for on-board purchases was increased to $3 from $2. Weekend fares were also increased to $7 from $5. This was the first increase in the existence of the weekend fare program, which started in May Credit Card Sales On September 9, 2009, Metra launched its new website that offered new features and enhancements to bring added convenience to customers. Monthly and ten-ride tickets can be purchased on Metra s website with a credit card, and the tickets are mailed to the customers homes within three business days. Monthly tickets need to be ordered by the 24 th of each month in order to guarantee delivery by the 1 st of the next month. Up to two monthly tickets and three 10-ride tickets can be purchased per transaction. Customers with RTA Special User Permits can also order their reduced fare tickets, and Link-Up and PlusBus tickets can also be purchased on-line. Metra began accepting credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover) and debit cards (with Visa or MasterCard logos) at the LaSalle Street, Millennium, and Van Buren Street Stations on January 11, 2010 and at Chicago Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center on January 18, Seventy-six outlying stations where an agent is on duty and new ticket vending machines at the 14 busiest Metra Electric District stations began accepting credit and debit cards on February 8, The table (pg. 15) shows credit card sales by ticket type. Please note that monthly ticket sales are reported based on the month the ticket was valid, not the date the ticket was purchased (e.g. a March monthly ticket purchased on February 22 will be reported as a March sale). -14-

16 Credit Card Sales -- Number of Tickets Sold 2010 Ticket Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Internet Sales 1 Monthly 2 2,771 2,942 2,973 3,259 3,332 3,649 3,210 3,694 4,079 4,098 3,937 3,628 Ten-Ride 6,122 4,730 5,135 5,145 4,486 5,069 4,306 4,819 4,921 4,838 4,639 4,024 Station Sales 3 Monthly ,302 10,425 12,624 13,580 14,201 14,864 15,822 17,600 19,690 19,404 16,037 Ten-Ride 8,384 26,456 37,645 43,359 43,983 56,256 50,522 57,198 54,653 54,597 56,577 52,335 One-Way/Weekend ,749 18,812 21,653 23,631 32,307 32,718 34,017 27,789 28,645 28,260 27,121 Ticket Vending Machines 4 1 Monthly 2 n/a n/a Ten-Ride n/a 811 1,443 1,718 1,958 2,258 2,315 2,447 2,821 3,146 3,211 2,902 One-Way n/a 1,583 3,006 3,667 4,209 7,097 7,125 6,934 6,169 7,382 7,486 7,970 Weekend n/a ,155 1,262 1,934 1,377 1,229 1,322 1,610 1,021 Total 17,866 54,027 80,141 92,367 96, , , , , , , , Ticket Type Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Internet Sales Monthly 2 3,941 4,128 Ten-Ride 4,588 3,923 Monthly 2 18,833 19,303 Ten-Ride 59,103 52,502 One-Way/Weekend 24,154 25,619 Ticket Vending Machines 4 Monthly Ten-Ride 3,565 3,519 One-Way 6,696 7,220 Weekend 1,006 1,345 Total 122, , Ticket-by-Internet Sales via credit card and debit began on September 9, Monthly ticket sales are reported based on the month the ticket is valid, not the date the ticket was sold. 3 On January 11, 2010, LaSalle Street Station, Millennium Station, and Van Buren Station, and January 18, 2010, Chicago Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center, and February 8, 2010, all 76 outlying stations where an agent is on duty began accepting credit and debit cards. 4 New ticket vending machines at the 14 busiest Metra Electric District stations began accepting credit and debit cards on February 8, Link-Up and PlusBus - For a number of years, Metra has participated in joint ticket programs with CTA and Pace. Monthly pass holders can purchase a Link-Up sticker or transit card for unlimited connecting travel on CTA and Pace buses. The Link-Up pass is priced at $39 and is accepted on peak-period CTA services (6:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.) and most Pace services. In addition, monthly pass holders can purchase an unlimited PlusBus ride sticker to be used in conjunction with their monthly ticket good for travel on all Pace suburban buses. The cost of PlusBus is $30 and allows unlimited use on most Pace routes. Metra supplements the fare paid by riders (i.e., Link-Up: $6.00, PlusBus: $8.54), which represent subsidies to CTA and Pace. The table below presents Link-Up and PlusBus sales for Link-Up and PlusBus Sales January Link-Up PlusBus Change Change BNSF 1,463 1, Other CUS Lines 2,999 3, Electric 1,184 1, Rock Island Union Pacific 1,574 1, Total 7,924 8, ,402 1,

17 Table 6 Ticket Sales by Type and Line* February 2010 vs. February Change %Chng Change %Chng MONTHLY STATION ONE-WAY BNSF 19,907 20, % BNSF 48,941 48, % Electric Lines 11,733 11, % Electric Lines 69,276 74,462 5, % Heritage 1,129 1, % Heritage % Milw-N 6,938 6, % Milw-N 24,537 22,650-1, % Milw-W 7,407 7, % Milw-W 26,174 24,293-1, % North Central 1,954 1, % North Central 3,241 3, % Rock Island 11,374 10, % Rock Island 27,081 27, % SouthWest 3,496 3, % SouthWest 4,282 4, % UP-N 9,333 9, % UP-N 35,342 37,221 1, % UP-NW 10,269 10, % UP-NW 40,889 39,799-1, % UP-W 8,317 8, % UP-W 26,777 24,808-1, % SYSTEM 91,857 91, % SYSTEM 307, , % TEN-RIDE CONDUCTOR ONE-WAY BNSF 26,311 25, % BNSF 33,043 27,420-5, % Electric Lines 16,215 15, % Electric Lines 21,838 23,484 1, % Heritage % Heritage 736 1, % Milw-N 14,075 12,447-1, % Milw-N 24,640 23,037-1, % Milw-W 9,052 8, % Milw-W 27,633 26, % North Central 2,386 2, % North Central 9,374 8,141-1, % Rock Island 12,863 12, % Rock Island 18,107 20,359 2, % SouthWest 3,468 3, % SouthWest 5,830 5, % UP-N 22,192 21, % UP-N 43,165 43, % UP-NW 17,253 15,805-1, % UP-NW 46,664 46, % UP-W 12,447 11, % UP-W 26,832 26, % SYSTEM 137, ,021-7, % SYSTEM 257, ,487-5, % WEEKEND TICKET SALES BNSF 9,339 8,111-1, % Electric Lines 7,430 6, % Milw-N 9,244 6,888-2, % Milw-W 7,955 7, % Rock Island 4,382 3, % SouthWest % UP-N 14,316 10,031-4, % UP-NW 11,413 12, % UP-W 8,576 8, % SYSTEM 72,795 63,433-9, % *Free trips are not included NOTE: The implementation of a new revenue accounting system beginning in August 2010 provides more precise data at the line level which may result in some inconsistencies with data reported in prior periods at the line level. P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[TIKSALES.xls]by_line -16-

18 Table 7 Systemwide* Ridership and Revenue by Ticket Type December-February PASSENGER TRIPS MONTHLY 10-RIDE ONE-WAY - Station ONE-WAY - Conductor WEEKEND - Station WEEKEND - Conductor TOTAL** Percent Share of Total Change Change ,411,899 11,464,789 52, % 62.0% 63.1% 4,204,290 4,178,110-26, % 22.8% 23.0% 1,114,639 1,101,811-12, % 6.1% 6.1% 890, ,204-38, % 4.8% 4.7% 164, ,418-37, % 0.9% 0.7% 635, , , % 3.4% 2.4% 18,420,375 18,159, , % 100.0% 100.0% PASSENGER REVENUE MONTHLY $30,086,199 $30,297,621 $211, % 55.0% 55.2% 10-RIDE 14,513,456 14,465,318-48, % 26.5% 26.4% ONE-WAY - Station 4,737,011 4,884, , % 8.7% 8.9% ONE-WAY - Conductor 3,631,420 3,668,270 36, % 6.6% 6.7% WEEKEND - Station 354, ,031-8, % 0.6% 0.6% WEEKEND - Conductor 1,363,514 1,222, , % 2.5% 2.2% TOTAL** *Does not include free trips **Not adjusted for ticket refunds. $54,686,385 $54,884,297 $197, % 100.0% 100.0% P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[TIKSALES.xls]system Table 8: System Ticket Sales by Method of Purchase December-February Monthly Ten-Ride TICKET SALES % Change % Change Station (Credit) 1 5,338 55, % 35, , % Station (Cash/Check) 127,468 82, % 335, , % Total Station 132, , % 371, , % By Mail By Internet 2 Commuter Benefits Total 3 41,348 33, % % 8,166 11, % 16,081 12, % 83,073 84, % 32,667 32, % 265, , % 420, , % One-Way and Weekend TICKET SALES % Change Station (Credit) 1 14, , % Station (Cash/Check) 1,165,992 1,050, % Total Station 1,180,331 1,152, % On-Train Total 3 1,144,235 1,026, % 2,324,566 2,178, % 1 On January 11, 2010, LaSalle Street Station, Millennium Station, and Van Buren Station and on January 18, 2010 Chicago Union Station and Ogilvie Transportation Center began accepting credit and debit cards. On February 8, 2010, all 76 outlying stations where an agent is on duty and new ticket vending machines at the 14 busiest Metra Electric District stations began accepting credit and debit cards. 2 On September 9, 2009, Ticket-by-Internet began accepting credit and debit cards. 3 Does not include free trips -17-

19 V. PASSENGER REVENUES The table below reveals that system revenues decreased 1.8% in February 2011 when compared to the same month of System Passenger Revenues February (in 000s) Percent Change vs vs 11 February $18,461 $18,001 $17, % -1.8% January-February $37,763 $36,320 $36, % 0.3% Last 12 Months $245,718 $231,003 $235, % 2.1% Table 9 (pg. 19) breaks out passenger revenues by rail line for the last two years. Figure 5 (pg. 20) illustrates system average fare (i.e., revenue per passenger trip). Table 10 (pg. 20) presents average fare and revenue levels by rail line. -18-

20 Table 9: Passenger Revenues* by Rail Line Line estimates beginning in August 2010 may be affected by the implementation of a new revenue accounting system which provides more precise line breakdowns then our previous systems were able to provide. February 2010 vs %Change BNSF $3,699,211 $3,673, % Electric Lines 2,091,489 2,030, % Heritage 184, , % Milw-N 1,587,461 1,519, % Milw-W 1,502,557 1,513, % North Central 436, , % Rock Island 1,906,979 1,819, % SouthWest 531, , % UP-N 2,118,971 2,077, % UP-NW 2,315,197 2,312, % UP-W 1,626,621 1,591, % SYSTEM $18,000,983 $17,683, % January-February 2008 vs %Change BNSF $7,478,449 $7,615, % Electric Lines 4,142,007 4,105, % Heritage 365, , % Milw-N 3,221,768 3,187, % Milw-W 3,023,338 3,147, % North Central 892, , % Rock Island 3,836,780 3,750, % SouthWest 1,071,682 1,084, % UP-N 4,327,975 4,201, % UP-NW 4,675,391 4,785, % UP-W 3,284,067 3,337, % SYSTEM $36,319,904 $36,438, % Last vs Months %Change BNSF $47,218,186 $48,776, % Electric Lines 26,623,505 26,336, % Heritage 2,250,702 2,154, % Milw-N 20,836,636 20,780, % Milw-W 19,512,754 20,535, % North Central 5,664,076 5,579, % Rock Island 24,330,567 23,937, % SouthWest 6,601,719 6,608, % UP-N 27,505,508 27,358, % UP-NW 29,458,282 31,413, % UP-W 21,001,465 22,379, % SYSTEM $231,003,401 $235,861, % *Includes Capital Farebox Financing revenues. -19-

21 Figure 5 Metra System* Average Passenger Fare (rolling three-month average) $3.20 $3.10 $3.00 $2.90 $2.80 $2.70 Fare Increase Fare Increase $2.60 Fare Increase $2.50 $2.40 Fare Increase $2.30 $ *Does not include free trips Table 10 Passenger Revenues* & Average Fare by Rail Line January-February Line estimates beginning in August 2010 may be affected by the implementation of a new revenue accounting system which provides more precise line breakdowns then our previous systems were able to provide. Line Passenger Revenue (in 000's) % Change Average Fare Change % Chng in Trips % Chng BNSF $7,478 $7,616 $ % 0.5% $3.02 $ % Electric Lines 4,142 4, % -1.4% $2.70 $ % Heritage % -4.5% $3.17 $ % Milw-N 3,222 3, % -2.2% $3.12 $ % Milw-W 3,023 3, % 3.6% $3.12 $ % North Central % -2.0% $3.63 $ % Rock Island 3,837 3, % -3.2% $2.84 $ % SouthWest 1,072 1, % 0.7% $2.73 $ % UP-N 4,328 4, % -4.9% $2.84 $ % UP-NW 4,675 4, % 1.0% $3.15 $ % UP-W 3,284 3, % 0.5% $2.91 $ % System** $36,320 $36,438 $ % -0.8% $2.96 $ % *Includes Capital Farebox Financing revenues. **Does not include free trips P:\RIDE\Rprt_xls\[AVGFARE.XLS]A -20-