Where We Stand:

Florida must do more to promote SunRail — Central Florida can’t afford to let it die when so much is at stake.

There’s a lot to like about SunRail. It liberates commuters once held hostage by Interstate 4. It allows riders to be more productive with their commuting time, whether checking email, making a new friend or taking a nap.

It extends vehicle life by reducing the number of miles commuters must drive. It’s also reliable and fun. But here’s what SunRail is not, so far: successful. When SunRail’s first 32 miles of track opened in 2014 between Orange and Volusia counties, the public was giddy.

Trains were crowded even after the two-week period of free rides ended. SunRail completed the first year of operation — May 2014 through April 2015 — with the number of boardings at just under 1 million. Daily boardings averaged about 3,700, short of projections but good enough to justify optimism.

The numbers have been sliding ever since.

Annual ridership dropped by 6 percent in SunRail’s second year, was nearly flat in the third year and, remarkably, went down 8 percent in the latest year of operation.

Remarkable because ridership cratered even as the I-4 construction project did the seemingly impossible and made driving the highway more miserable.

Already labeled the most dangerous highway in America, I-4 has motorists facing an array of threats, including construction debris, ever-shifting traffic lanes, potholes and flash flooding.

And just try making a claim for construction-caused damage. A special report by the Orlando Sentinel found only 15 percent of the damage claims filed by motorists had been paid. So not only does your car get wrecked, you’re on the hook.

Facing such danger and torment, we find it difficult to understand why the trains aren’t packed.

A SunRail spokesman admitted it’s puzzling. He said the state Department of Transportation, which is running the train until 2021 when local governments take over, is trying to make adjustments to get more riders.

For example, the state recently increased the frequency of its midday service and now has trains running later into the night, moves expected to capture more potential riders who work at Florida Hospital and Orlando Health.

More promising is the recent extension of service into Osceola County, where thousands of commuters previously had no alternative but daily battle on I-4 to reach workplaces to the north.

State officials believe the Osceola market has potential because of its concentration of commuters.

The first two weeks seemed to bear out that promise. SunRail, which had languished at about 3,200 boardings each day, nearly doubled that number, thanks to the southern expansion.

That’s just dandy, but SunRail’s disappointing numbers up to now suggest something else is at work.

People just aren’t staying excited about the train. Initial enthusiasm is waning, not gaining, and it’s very possible that’s because the state isn’t doing enough to sell SunRail.

This region can’t afford to let SunRail die a slow death when so much is at stake.

Private investors, counting on SunRail riders, have plowed millions into apartments and businesses near train stations.

Air travelers could one day hop a train to Orlando International’s new transit terminal, a project that currently is in limbo.

And a northern extension to DeLand would increase the rail line’s reach and give riders access to one of Central Florida’s most vibrant downtowns.

When local governments take over SunRail operations less than three years from now, they’ll be responsible not only for paying expenses but also for selling the train’s benefits to the public.

Until then, it’s up to the state to keep SunRail healthy and ensure the number of riders is on an upward slope, which means doing better than it has so far.