Metro-North ridership tops LIRR’s

Some see it as a one-month fluke; others say it’s the start of a new hierarchy. Whatever the case, MTA Metro-North Railroad September 2010 ridership edged out that of its older brother, the Long Island Rail Road, for the first time in Metro-North’s 29-year history, making Metro-North—for one month at least —the largest regional passenger rail operator in North America.

Metro-North carried 6.85 million riders in September, up 3% from the comparable month in 2009, and 18,000 riders more than the LIRR, with September levels of 6.83 million, down 3% from the year-ago period.

LIRR officials, and some rail observers, noted that weather-related incidents and large-scale infrastructure problems in recent months hampered LIRR ridership, and suggested LIRR ridership will regain its traditional lead in the months ahead. Media reports also cited the impact of the recession on Long Island’s economy and ridership. Noting that economic recovery varies in the heavily populated area served by MTA, a spokesman suggested that LIRR will recover its lead as the economy picks up.

Others, however, note the same recession has also negatively impacted Metro-North territory, the northern New York City suburbs and western Connecticut. As well, Metro-North has been far more aggressive over the years in carving out ridership niches beyond the traditional Manhattan-oriented commuter base—and even eliminating the word “commuter” from its official name—reflecting a more proactive, customer-responsive passenger operation serving off-peak, counter-rush, and weekend riders.

Officials from both railroads have privately acknowledged the rivalry, which may become even more fractious once LIRR gains access to Grand Central Terminal through the East Side Access project, and/or when Metro-North begins serving LIRR’s Penn Station hub via its Hudson and New Haven lines. “On the other hand, such competition could spur improvements for both railroads,” one former MTA executive said.