METROLINK is cheap, ridership increases by 2,700 daily riders

With higher gasoline prices, rail is cheaper, Metrolink says.
Commuting: Ridership on the system increases by about 2,700 daily riders since last week. (by Phil Pitchford, The Press-Enterprise)

Freedom from freeway traffic, not necessarily ticket price, has always been the best selling point for Metrolink. Rather than sitting in gridlock, train riders can read, work on a laptop computer or take a nap.

But, emboldened by high prices for gasoline, Metrolink is starting to make an economic argument for taking the train. With the average price of a gallon of self-service regular now at an all-time high across Southern California, taking the train is cheaper on a per-mile basis, they say.
"For the first time, we are really seeing a head-to-head benefit even without the additional factors of insurance and vehicle upkeep," Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell said.

Commuters apparently have reached that conclusion on their own. Ridership across the system has increased by about 2,700 daily riders since last week, Tyrrell said.