Getting There: For New York City's Metro-North, Following the Continuous-Improvement Course Means Building Reverse-Commute Ridership and Improving On-Time Performance

This article examines the importance of building and promoting reverse-commute ridership as well as improving on-time performance for New York’s Metro-North Railroad. The 412-mile system runs between Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan and parts of upstate New York and Connecticut. Reverse commuters, those heading to jobs in upstate New York and Connecticut are considered the linchpin to revenue growth for the railroad. In 2005, ridership increased 3.8 percent, revenue went up 8.5 percent to $437 million, and on-time performance rose 0.4 percent to an all-time record of 97.5 percent. In addition, the MTA-owned railroad is upgrading and modernizing stations and facilities, such as Fordham Station, where reverse ridership has nearly tripled since 1990. The railroad’s reverse commute growth is reflected in other large metropolitan areas as well.