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Axios
4 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Richmond's Amtrak trains are fuller — and slower
While more people than ever are hopping aboard an Amtrak train in Virginia, train delays in the state seem to be getting worse. Why it matters: The on-time performance (OTP) rate for trains along the Northeast Regional line in Virginia — the line that runs through Richmond — is down 10% from fiscal year 2019, according to an Axios review of rail stats. The big picture: Like many travel sectors, Amtrak has been experiencing a post-pandemic surge in ridership. Last year, the rail company set an all-time ridership record nationwide with 32.8 million passengers hopping aboard a train in the last fiscal year. But its OTP has been ticking down overall, dropping from 80% in 2020 to 74% in 2022 and 2023, according to the most recent stats from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Zoom in: The Richmond corridor's OTP has been closer to 70% in recent years, slightly higher than the 69% for the whole Northeast Regional line, per Virginia Passenger Rail Authority data. That OTP comes as the Virginia Amtrak routes just set another all-time ridership record, this time for April. By the numbers: Thus far this year, Richmond's OTP is 65.4%, lower than the 71.9% for all Virginia Amtrak routes. In 2024, Richmond's OTP was 71% vs. 72.3% on all Virginia routes. In 2023, Richmond's OTP was 75.6%. The state's: 74.3%. ✈️ For comparison, the Richmond airport's on-time rate for departures is at 79% thus far this year, per the latest Bureau of Transportation Statistics data. It was 80% or higher for the previous five years. The fine print: The Richmond corridor includes all trains between D.C. and Richmond, Karina Romero with VPRA tells Axios. VPRA tracks OTP by the calendar year, while Amtrak does it by fiscal year. And according to both, OTP represents the percentage of stations where a train arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival time, Romero says. Between the lines: There are multiple reasons trains end up running late, including accommodating more riders, but the most common in Virginia tends to be heat restrictions, Romero says. That's because hot weather and the rail's steel lines do not mix well. Other issues that can delay trains include winter weather and, critically, interference from freight trains, which share tracks with Amtrak. In Virginia, two big freight lines, CSX and Norfolk Southern, also happen to own most of the tracks, too. Plus, there can be a domino effect. If a train is delayed heading south out of D.C., which is often where the Virginia bottleneck starts, it'll be delayed the rest of the way through Richmond. Yes, but: There's hope to speed up those trains.
Fibre2Fashion
21-05-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US freight TSI falls 1.1% in March after brief February rebound: BTS
The US freight transportation services index (TSI), based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, fell by 1.1 per cent month on month (MoM) and rose by 0.4 per cent year on year (YoY) in March this year, falling after a one-month increase, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). The level of for-hire freight shipments in March measured by the freight TSI (137.0) was 2.6 per cent below the all-time high of 140.6 reached in August 2019. BTS' TSI records began in 2000. The US freight transportation services index, based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, fell by 1.1 per cent month on month and rose by 0.4 per cent YoY in March, falling after a one-month rise, official data show. The March fall was the second drop in three months and the fourth in seven months, leaving the index 1.7 per cent below its level in August 2024. The February index was revised to 138.5 from 137.9 in last month's release. The freight TSI decreased in March due to seasonally-adjusted decreases in pipeline and trucking, while water, rail carload, rail intermodal and air freight increased. The March freight index decrease was the second decrease in three months and the fourth decrease in seven months, leaving the index 1.7 per cent below its level in August 2024, a BTS release said. The index increased by 4 per cent since August 2021. The March freight TSI exceeded the pandemic low in April 2020 by 10.8 per cent; the index increased MoM in 35 of the 59 months since that low. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Fibre2Fashion
28-04-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
North American freight up 2.1% YoY to $131.6 bn in Feb
Transborder freight between the United States, Canada, and Mexico rose to $131.6 billion in February 2025, a 2.1 per cent increase compared to February 2024, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). US-Canada freight reached $63.2 billion, up 2.2 per cent from the previous year, while US-Mexico freight totalled $68.4 billion, reflecting a 2.0 per cent rise. Trucks remained the dominant mode of transportation, carrying $86.6 billion worth of goods, up 3.9 per cent year-on-year. Pipeline shipments surged 23.1 per cent to $10.0 billion. Air freight also increased, rising 4.8 per cent to $4.8 billion. However, rail shipments fell 11.7 per cent to $15.1 billion, and vessel trade dropped 22.9 per cent to $7.7 billion, BTS said in a release. For US-Canada trade, trucks moved $35.2 billion in goods, followed by pipelines at $9.3 billion, rail at $7.7 billion, air at $3.1 billion, and vessels at $2.6 billion. US-Mexico trade included $51.4 billion moved by truck, $7.5 billion by rail, $5.1 billion by vessel, $1.7 billion by air, and $0.7 billion by pipeline. Detroit, Port Huron, and Buffalo were the top truck ports for trade with Canada, while Laredo, El Paso, and Otay Mesa led on the southern border. For rail, Detroit, Port Huron, and International Falls were key for US-Canada flows, whereas Laredo, Eagle Pass, and El Paso handled the most rail freight with Mexico. Pipeline connections were led by Chicago, Port Huron, and Minneapolis on the northern border, and El Paso, Hidalgo, and Laredo on the southern side. For waterborne energy shipments, the top US ports with Canada were Boston, Arthur, and Portland, while with Mexico they were Houston, Arthur, and Texas City. Detroit and Laredo remained the most active land ports for both truck and rail trade. Transborder freight among the US, Canada, and Mexico rose 2.1 per cent YoY to $131.6 billion in February 2025. US-Canada trade hit $63.2 billion, and US-Mexico $68.4 billion. Trucks moved $86.6 billion in goods. Pipeline and air shipments rose, while rail and vessel trade declined. Detroit and Laredo remained top land ports for cross-border freight. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Axios
22-04-2025
- Axios
Louisiana among deadliest states for highway fatalities, data shows
Louisiana has one of the country's highest annual rates of highway fatalities, according to federal data. Why it matters: April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, where advocacy groups hope to bring attention to a leading cause of crashes — cellphone use. The big picture: Louisiana averaged about 20 highway fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2022, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the St. Louis Federal Reserve. That's much higher than the national average of 13. Other Southern states — Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee — also ranked among the deadliest. By the numbers: In 2023, 811 people were killed in crashes, and 22% of those crashes involved inattention or a distraction, the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission says. New Orleans keeps a dashboard of local crash data. Zoom in: Louisiana has laws banning texting for all drivers and requiring hands-free cellphone usage in school zones, the commission says. Another law bans cellphone usage (unless hands-free) for drivers holding a learner's or intermediate license. Gov. Jeff Landry and insurance commissioner Tim Temple are backing another bill this legislative session that would increase cellphone restrictions while driving, WRKF reports. Zoom out: Around 3,300 people died nationwide in crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022, while another 289,000 were injured, according to the latest available National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data. More than 62,000 crashes involved distracted cellphone usage in 2022 alone, the NHTSA says. These stats likely underestimate the problem because crash data often relies on drivers self-reporting their distractions to law enforcement, National Safety Council executive VP of safety leadership and advocacy Mark Chung tells Axios. The big picture: U.S. traffic deaths per 100,000 people peaked in the 1930s and total deaths peaked in 1972, then gradually declined thanks to vehicle improvements, better infrastructure and public safety campaigns. But the rate of crash deaths started rising again about a decade ago, spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 was still in the late pandemic era, and it's unclear whether things have changed since then. Flashback:"How much longer will a civilized nation endure such mass mayhem?" the NSC asked in 1955 after 602 Americans died on roadways over a single Christmas weekend. It took 13 more years for seatbelts to be required in all new vehicles — and the NSC now wants similar action to curb distracted driving. Nearly all U.S. states ban texting while driving, per the Governors Highway Safety Association, though their enforcement rules differ.
CNN
10-04-2025
- Automotive
- CNN
Car prices will go up. Taking the train or a bus looks like a bargain
President Donald Trump's auto tariffs are expected to lift car prices by thousands of dollars. That's an opportunity for America's trains and buses. Public transit advocates hope soaring car costs will push more people to the US transit system and spur government investment to improve service. Trump's 25% tariffs on all cars shipped to the United States are likely to pile costs on to the already steep financial burdens of driving, and consumers can save thousands of dollars annually by switching to transit. 'We think that there's an opportunity for transit to present itself as a viable option,' said Paul Skoutelas, the CEO of the American Public Transportation Association. Transportation costs are consumers' second largest expense behind housing, accounting for 15% of average spending, in large part due to the costs of driving and maintaining a car. These costs hit lower-income households the hardest. Lower-income Americans spending roughly 30% of their income on transportation, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Many Americans are struggling with these costs, and delinquencies on auto loans hit their highest rate in more than 30 years, Fitch Ratings said last month. Car costs that would rise even higher from tariffs 'give people additional reason to consider a good transit alternative,' Skoutelas said. In 2023, his group calculated that Americans could save more than $13,000 a year by using public transit instead of driving. Tariffs will raise the price of the cheapest American cars by an additional $2,500 to $5,000 and up to $20,000 more for some imported models, according to Anderson Economic Group. That translates to a 13.5% average increase overall on car prices, the Yale Budget Lab said. Some consumers have been rushing to dealerships to buy vehicles before price increases hit. Price increases from tariffs may not change wealthier families' decisions to purchase a new car. But the added cost may change the calculus for low-income households already stretched on their car payments or push younger, first-time buyers to delay purchases, said Nicholas Bloom, a professor of urban policy and planning at Hunter College and the author of 'The Great American Transit Disaster.' A boost for public transit would also benefit the environment. The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse emissions in the United States, accounting for over 28% of the total in 2022. Buses and trains can reduce emissions by up to two-thirds per passenger compared to private cars. It wouldn't be the first time in history that an economic shock pushed people to mass transit, Bloom said. These patterns have been temporary, however, because US policy has historically prioritized building roads, highways, bridges and sprawling suburbs, often at the expense of funding transit, he said. About 87% of daily trips in the United States take place in cars, according to the Department of Transportation. During World War II, the government halted the manufacturing of civilian cars and rationed the vehicles that were left for sale, compelling Americans to take mass transit in record numbers. But transit ridership collapsed after the war as millions of Americans left cities for new suburbs created by federal policies, which paid for the construction of highways and roads, and subsidized mass homeownership in the suburbs. The energy crisis during the 1970s also pushed more people to carpool and use mass transit. But while European countries responded to the crisis by investing in public transit and pedestrian-friendly policies, the United States continued to focus on roadbuilding. Higher gas prices also typically lead to an increase in transit ridership. Every 10% jump in gas prices can lead to as much as a 4% increase in bus ridership and an 8% increase for rail, a 2011 study found. For example, in 2022, Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring, giving transit a ridership bump — ridership increased 3% in New York City during the week after the invasion, 4% in Washington D.C. and 7% in San Francisco. Public transit agencies could use the boost. Fares are a critical source of funding for transit agencies, particularly the largest transit systems in the United States. Ridership still remains sluggish in many cities even five years after people shifted to working from home during the pandemic. Ridership is at about 85% of pre-pandemic levels nationwide, and transit agency budget shortfalls in Chicago and other cities around the country threaten service cuts, layoffs and fare hikes. But higher car prices won't increase public transit ridership in areas with little or no mass transit options. For transit to be a viable alternative to driving, localities, states and the federal government must increase investments in frequent and reliable transit service, advocates say. 'Most American cities don't have great transit systems. That's because we don't invest in it,' said Midori Valdivia, a transit consultant and a board member of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 'Governments have not provided choices — taking a car feels like the only choice.' About two-thirds of transit agencies' revenue comes from government, and most of that is state and local government. The federal government spends much more on roads than transit: Eighty percent of the federal gas tax, which helps fund infrastructure projects, is devoted to roads. Twenty percent goes to transit. The Trump administration's Department of Transportation has been hostile to major transit initiatives in New York and California, revoking approval of New York City's congestion pricing program and announcing a review of California's high-speed rail project. And Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the administration would prioritize projects and goals that 'give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.' This would mean fewer funds for urban areas with higher transit use, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute. 'If we're pulling transit funding and increasing the cost of cars, that's more pain for families and leaving people in a lurch,' said Ben Furnas, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, a transit advocacy group. As the White House pulls back on mass transit, advocates are turning their attention to ballot box initiatives to fund mass transit. In 2024, voters passed 46 of 53 ballot measures for funding public transit, providing $25 billion for projects like electrifying bus fleets, expanding service hours, subsidizing fares for low-income riders and other initiatives. Ballot measures to fund transit in San Francisco and Charlotte are being planned for this year and next. 'If there is an opportunity to invest in transit, that's what Americans want,' Valdivia said.
