A committed group of Essex Junction citizens has been active and has made a big difference in the station area.
Train-related grassroots efforts which have been implemented in Essex Junction over the past year include the following, according to Susana Olson:
Aggressive Neighborhood Watch, the picking up of litter in the downtown vicinity of the train tracks, the weeding, planting and watering of flowers near the Amtrak station, the promotion of the Amtrak Vermonter’s special $12 fare online, in print, and via Seven Days’ Stuck in VT vlog, the creation and implementation of the first annual holiday Train Hop, train-related programs at the Brownell Library, the creation of a very successful weekly farmer’s market immediately across the street from the Amtrak station, a new event series on Railroad Avenue, and the leading of special train day trips on the Vermonter including day trips to Brattleboro as well as a "Train to the Game" event in Windsor.
The effort is paying off. The Amtrak June ridership numbers are in and Essex Junction passengers have increased by 78% over June of a year ago. All Vermont stations have posted double digit increases, but none as much. Essex Junction has been strong lately -- this in the continuation of a long-term trend. Travel from Essex Junction to some markets (Washington DC, for example) increased by as much as 100%
The stronger ridership brings Amtrak increased pricing power and revenue for the train and for Essex Junction has increased even more (the train as a whole is up 35% in ridership and 44% in ticket revenue.)
The crew at the station, John Gawdrecki, Al Villa and the others, seem to be doing a terrific job at welcoming passengers and making them want to come back.
Al Villa writes:
Many passengers have commented to me how nice and helpful we are at Essex Jct. and said Amtrak people down at the regular staffed employee stations of Amtrak should come here and take lessons from us !!!!
Myself, I like to make a rider feel welcomed and with a smile say " WELCOME TO VERMONT " and " THANK YOU FOR RIDING AMTRAK " We have so many people that come from all over the world and it is nice for them to be greeted this way. When I see a family come in and ask the children if this is there first train ride, I give to them our paper Amtrak Junior Conductors Hats and a Amtrak Childrens Color Activity book for their ride. We have boxes of crayons in the desk drawer if they need one the children pick their color. There is so much more we do.
The care and attention in Essex Junction has particularly brought results, but ridership is up sharply in the rest of the state as well (just not as staggeringly so). An excellent marketing campaign is entering it's second year. Attention has been paid to fare levels. Some excellent conductors have been making passengers happy and on-time performance has been good to very good, thanks to the New England Central Railroad, which owns and dispatches the tracks. I have no doubt that the marketing campaign is making a difference. Because of the higher ridership, Vermont saved $750,000 on it's operating fee to Amtrak and the marketing campaign cost only 1/5 of that. Good return on investment.
