Surfliner funding in 2013 revised budget

[rubbertoe]

Looks like the State is picking up the entire tab for the Surfliner per the following. Good news indeed:



RT

[jeisenbe]

The State doesn't pay 70% of operating costs. Half the cost (49.5%) is paid by the riders:
reasonrail.blogspot.com/2012/12/amtrak-routes-by-2012-cost-recovery.html#more

If Caltrans can fill up more than 2/3rds of the seats on all trains (a tall order, to be sure), the whole operating cost could be covered at current ticket prices: reasonrail.blogspot.com/2013/04/seat-mile-and-passenger-mile-costs-for.html

But the state will now be picking up the whole subsidy, it's true.

Just like how the state picks up the whole cost of subsidizing freeways, right? Oh, wait...

[pithecanthropus]

They must be doing a lot better than 2/3 occupancy on the Surfliner. It seems those trains are always crowded, or at least they have been in my experience.