Amtrak has announced both Mar 2010 and 1st half FY 2010 ridership is up to a new record. FY ridership was 13.6M which was 4.3% more than 2009 and even exceeded 2008 numbers. March 2010 had every route SD and LD with more riders than 2009. Some examples Acela +14%; NE Regional + 13%, SD +12%, LD + 16%; Total Mar +13.5% over 2008. One item that cannot be found is how the number of passengers are counted. To give some examples: 1. The SPG – NH shuttle passengers that continue on. Are they counted twice one on each segment? Are the passengers that O&D SPG and south counted on Regional trains (143,145, &Vermonter)? 2. Passengers on NYP – Albany – Buffalo thru trains counted once or twice? 3. Lynchburg passengers north of WASH? 4. Passengers that connect to LD trains? Sunset/Eagle Passengers? You get the idea. As long as Amtrak has counted them the same way over the years then for statistical purposes the figures will be valid. Maybe it is as simple as counting each ticket coupon as one person? 5. In the case of Lynchburg and Newport News coupons O&D north of WASH count as Regional trips? 6. Revenue figures are not yet available but for Feb Pass up 2.7% and revenue up 6.5%. There is no way to know if that will be the case for Mar 2010.