Amtrak announces record annual ridership

By SARAH KARUSH Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Amtrak carried a record 28.7 million people last year, with each of its routes seeing gains, the national passenger railroad said Friday. The company has posted six years of ridership and revenue growth, recently benefiting from high gas and airline prices. The number of trips over the past year increased 11 percent over the 25.8 million taken in fiscal year 2007. Total ticket revenue for the year that ended Sept. 30 reached $1.7 billion _ also a record for the 37-year-old government-owned corporation and a 14 percent increase over the $1.5 billion taken in the previous year. "Amtrak has solidified its role as a leader in the nation's transportation network and proven intercity passenger rail's relevance in today's world," chief executive Alex Kummant said in a... [read full story]