Ridership Declines On Long Island Rail Road
SYOSSET, NY (WCBS 880) - An optimistic spike in ridership over the summer on the Long Island Rail Road has turned into disappointment.
LISTEN: WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reports
Officials blame mechanical disruptions, bad weather, and a struggling economy for a ridership decline in September and year-to-date overall.
Daily commuter Bob Lasay, however, points to another factor.
"Other than fares increasing, it's probably last year a lot of people who can't afford the regular rate," Lasay told WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs. "As long as they keep increasing the pricing, I think ridership will go down."
Some experts, however, blame the economy. History, they say, shows that when the economy is up, so is ridership.
