Tri-Rail boosts service as more people return to work during pandemic
Tri-Rail, South Florida’s tri-county commuter rail system, is close to returning its train schedules to pre-COVID-19 levels as more workers are returning to their jobs.
The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority said the line will increase service to 46 weekday and 28 weekend trains, starting Monday. It’s the fourth schedule change since the agency cut back service in mid-March.
“Since the last increase inservice amonth ago, we have continued to see an upward trend in ridership,” Steven Abrams, the agency’s executive director, said Thursday. “This increase will not only help accommodate workers for businesses that have recently reopened, but also holiday travelers as people start to plan their vacations.”
Passengers had been riding for free since March 28, but the agency returned to charging fare son Oct. 1. The fare structure is based on a zone system that covers 18 stops between Mangonia Park in Palm Beach County and Miami International Airport.
Before the pandemic, the line carried 15,000 passengers daily. It still hasn’t reached the normal ridership numbers: The figure is currently in the neighborhood of 6,000. Still, ridership “has been steadily increasing,” said spokesman Victor Garcia.
Passengers have been mostly workers traveling to and from their jobs, most of which were considered essential, such as those in the health care industry, Garcia said.
But the railroad also noticed heavy travel in and out of its stations near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International.
The schedule additions will push the system to 92% of what it normally offered for service. Most trains will consist of three cars. Management requires all passengers and employees towear masks and the rule is “strictly enforced,” the agency said.
Tri-Rail is the only rail option available to people commuting across Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
Brightline, the high-speedrail service that served the downtowns of Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Miami, suspended service in March and laid off more than 250 employees. The company has made no announcement about when it intends to start running again.