VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) announced 3Q ridership increases:
VIA Rail says from July to September 2016, ridership was up 5.5% vs. the same period last year. It also says it grew its revenues for a 10th consecutive quarter. Passenger revenues have increased by 10.3% during the third quarter of 2016. As a result, the Corporation says it reduced its requirement for government funding for the quarter, compared to the same quarter last year.
“As more travellers are making the smart choice of trading their cars for the safety, comfort and environmental benefits of our trains, we are now in a position to optimistically plan for the long term,” said VIA Rail’s President and CEO, Yves Desjardins-Siciliano. “This summer, during the months of July and August, we broke performance records and hit record highs for ridership growth, while across the Corporation we benefited from a more engaged workforce, and to top it off, we celebrated landmark station anniversaries. Ottawa station turned 50 in July, and in August, Gare du Palais, our heritage station in Québec City celebrated its centennial. Milestones like these give us a chance to reflect on how far our company has come and the positive impact we can continue to have on the environmental and economic future of our country.”