| 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago MBTA seeks bailout, despite increase in ridership
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(Stephen Iandoli, NECN) - With gas prices hovering just below four dollars a gallon, it's no surprise, by now people are turning to alternative modes of transportation. Many more commuters are going back to the way it used to be.
Trains are seeing a dramatic increase in ridership over the past year.
21 million more people used the MBTA in the past year. More than a 6.1 percent increase in ridership. However the increase in riders could not stop the MBTA from petitioning the government for a bailout, of an estimated $74 million deficit. The rising energy costs that get riders, is also hurting the MBTA.
Amtrak's downeaster line from Portland, Maine to Boston has also seen a dramatic increase in business in the past year. However, taking the train doesn't necessarily provide an all-out escape. Amtrak's pricing is similar to hotels, the higher the demand the more expensive it is going to be.
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