THE STUDY TEAM AUTHORS JOSEPH P. SCHWIETERMAN*, C. SCOTT SMITH** AND RILEY O’NEIL DATA RILEY O’NEIL AND DANA YANOCHA COLLECTION GRAPHICS RACHAEL SMITH AND DANA YANOCHA PHOTOGRAPHY CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CHADDICK INSTITUTE, TOMAS DEL CORO (CREATIVE COMMONS), CHADDICK INSTITUTE, AND MACKENSEN (USERNAME) *CORRESPONDING AUTHOR & DIRECTOR, CHADDICK INSTITUTE ** ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CHADDICK INSTITUTE CHADDICK INSTITUTE FOR METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY CONTACT: JOSEPH SCHWIETERMAN, PH.D. | PHONE: 312.362.5732 | EMAIL:
[email protected] Transportation Working Paper Series No. 82317 ABSTRACT Gradual expansions to the express coach and rail system between 2006 and 2015 provided millions of Americans new alternatives to private automobile travel in intercity trips. These services, provided by Amtrak, BoltBus, Megabus, and other carriers, along with ambitious plans for high-speed rail service, raised hopes that the country was on the cusp of creating a more balanced transportation system. However, these travel modes have, as this study shows, experienced setbacks in recent years. Through a review of the status of express coach and Amtrak service, this study shows: Lower gasoline prices and discounted airfares induced by low-cost fuel have weakened demand for Amtrak and intercity bus carriers over the past three years. Despite a recent upturn in traffic, new service offerings have lagged and not kept pace with the country’s rising population. Travelers face “Ground Transportation Gaps” that make efforts to avoid driving between some cities more difficult than just a few years ago. Slowed investment in new routes as well as coach lines trimming schedules has made it more difficult to avoid using personal vehicle on many routes outside of heavily traveled Northeast region.