Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers
@iowarail.bsky.social
Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers (IARP) was formed in 1981 as a voice for Iowa rail passengers
https://www.iowarail.org/
https://www.iowarail.org/
Iowa transit ridership for September. We've got gains across the board, with Sioux City surprisingly having the highest growth. Statewide ridership is now at 85% of pre-Covid levels (currently only 80% nationally).
November 8, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Iowa transit ridership for September. We've got gains across the board, with Sioux City surprisingly having the highest growth. Statewide ridership is now at 85% of pre-Covid levels (currently only 80% nationally).
Monthly and annual ridership numbers for Amtrak. Capping off a strong fiscal year with yet another ridership gain.
Thank you to everyone who has ridden Amtrak over the past year. Here's to another good year in front of us.
Thank you to everyone who has ridden Amtrak over the past year. Here's to another good year in front of us.
November 8, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Monthly and annual ridership numbers for Amtrak. Capping off a strong fiscal year with yet another ridership gain.
Thank you to everyone who has ridden Amtrak over the past year. Here's to another good year in front of us.
Thank you to everyone who has ridden Amtrak over the past year. Here's to another good year in front of us.
Here are some parking/travel notes for people coming to our meeting on Saturday.
We will be on the 2nd floor of DART Central Station, so just take the stairs or elevator upstairs and you should be able to come out right next to our meeting room.
We will be on the 2nd floor of DART Central Station, so just take the stairs or elevator upstairs and you should be able to come out right next to our meeting room.
October 23, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Here are some parking/travel notes for people coming to our meeting on Saturday.
We will be on the 2nd floor of DART Central Station, so just take the stairs or elevator upstairs and you should be able to come out right next to our meeting room.
We will be on the 2nd floor of DART Central Station, so just take the stairs or elevator upstairs and you should be able to come out right next to our meeting room.
A strong year for Iowa's fixed-route transit systems, with Iowa City and Davenport leading the way on growth. Some more mixed results in the demand response systems.
Overall, Iowa increased its transit ridership by over 2 million rides, and is at about 85% of 2019 ridership levels.
Overall, Iowa increased its transit ridership by over 2 million rides, and is at about 85% of 2019 ridership levels.
October 22, 2025 at 11:50 AM
A strong year for Iowa's fixed-route transit systems, with Iowa City and Davenport leading the way on growth. Some more mixed results in the demand response systems.
Overall, Iowa increased its transit ridership by over 2 million rides, and is at about 85% of 2019 ridership levels.
Overall, Iowa increased its transit ridership by over 2 million rides, and is at about 85% of 2019 ridership levels.
Amtrak ridership for August. Overall gains continue, although at a slower rate than previous months.
October 8, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Amtrak ridership for August. Overall gains continue, although at a slower rate than previous months.
Updated details reflecting some missed details and service providers.
October 1, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Updated details reflecting some missed details and service providers.
To the best of our knowledge this is the total inventory of intercity bus routes in Iowa following Trailways’ exit. As previously mentioned, Jefferson Lines and Greyhound picked up most of the pieces, but this is definitely a very sparse network.
October 1, 2025 at 2:46 PM
To the best of our knowledge this is the total inventory of intercity bus routes in Iowa following Trailways’ exit. As previously mentioned, Jefferson Lines and Greyhound picked up most of the pieces, but this is definitely a very sparse network.
Another poor month for long-distance OTP. Freight train interference and slow orders are killing the California Zephyr's OTP.
September 21, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Another poor month for long-distance OTP. Freight train interference and slow orders are killing the California Zephyr's OTP.
Full build out of our rail plan, with 2 daily round trips on each route, would result in over 3.3 million annual train miles added, almost doubling the current Amtrak Midwest network.
September 19, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Full build out of our rail plan, with 2 daily round trips on each route, would result in over 3.3 million annual train miles added, almost doubling the current Amtrak Midwest network.
Day 2 of the MIPRC Annual Meeting at Kansas City Union Station. Let’s go!
September 12, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Day 2 of the MIPRC Annual Meeting at Kansas City Union Station. Let’s go!
We are at Kansas City Union Station today, attending the annual meeting of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.
We’re getting lots of valuable information on passenger rail in the Midwest and how Iowa may be affected. Stay tuned for updates as we pass them along to you.
We’re getting lots of valuable information on passenger rail in the Midwest and how Iowa may be affected. Stay tuned for updates as we pass them along to you.
September 11, 2025 at 10:32 PM
We are at Kansas City Union Station today, attending the annual meeting of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.
We’re getting lots of valuable information on passenger rail in the Midwest and how Iowa may be affected. Stay tuned for updates as we pass them along to you.
We’re getting lots of valuable information on passenger rail in the Midwest and how Iowa may be affected. Stay tuned for updates as we pass them along to you.
Amtrak ridership for July. Another solid month for Amtrak, and the 2 routes through Iowa continue to do even better.
September 2, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Amtrak ridership for July. Another solid month for Amtrak, and the 2 routes through Iowa continue to do even better.
Just 4 more days
August 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Just 4 more days
The last station update for now, this time at Osceola. Station improvements are scheduled to finish sometime in fiscal year 2026, but right now these platforms look a far way off from “finished”.
August 12, 2025 at 2:35 PM
The last station update for now, this time at Osceola. Station improvements are scheduled to finish sometime in fiscal year 2026, but right now these platforms look a far way off from “finished”.
Another station update, this time for the Ottumwa Depot. The near-side platform and canopy are finished, but the far side still needs to be done.
The new platforms & canopies are part of a $13.8 million improvement project for the station, which is budgeted to finish this year.
The new platforms & canopies are part of a $13.8 million improvement project for the station, which is budgeted to finish this year.
August 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Another station update, this time for the Ottumwa Depot. The near-side platform and canopy are finished, but the far side still needs to be done.
The new platforms & canopies are part of a $13.8 million improvement project for the station, which is budgeted to finish this year.
The new platforms & canopies are part of a $13.8 million improvement project for the station, which is budgeted to finish this year.
Mount Pleasant’s new platforms appear to be almost finished.
August 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Mount Pleasant’s new platforms appear to be almost finished.
Always fun to stop by the Central Iowa Railroad Club when at the State Fair. Stop inside to see, among other things, a replica of Iowa’s own Burlington station. Built in 1944 by the CB&Q Railroad, Amtrak still serves the station to this day.
August 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Always fun to stop by the Central Iowa Railroad Club when at the State Fair. Stop inside to see, among other things, a replica of Iowa’s own Burlington station. Built in 1944 by the CB&Q Railroad, Amtrak still serves the station to this day.
Here is a map of current capital projects on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, Keystone Corridor, and Hartford Line. These projects will be key to improving reliability, increasing capacity, and creating an environment for increased ridership on Amtrak and various commuter railroads.
August 2, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Here is a map of current capital projects on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, Keystone Corridor, and Hartford Line. These projects will be key to improving reliability, increasing capacity, and creating an environment for increased ridership on Amtrak and various commuter railroads.
Amtrak ridership snapshot for June. A strong month for the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief, and a fairly good month for Amtrak nationally. Still seeing some impacts on ridership due to the Horizon shortage/limited capacity. New equipment can't come fast enough.
July 29, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Amtrak ridership snapshot for June. A strong month for the California Zephyr and Southwest Chief, and a fairly good month for Amtrak nationally. Still seeing some impacts on ridership due to the Horizon shortage/limited capacity. New equipment can't come fast enough.
Over 95% of transportation fatalities occur on highways, with over 40,000 people dying every year. If the USDOT and Iowa DOT want to really make our transport system safer, they will need to realize how inherently dangerous driving and car-centric design are.
July 20, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Over 95% of transportation fatalities occur on highways, with over 40,000 people dying every year. If the USDOT and Iowa DOT want to really make our transport system safer, they will need to realize how inherently dangerous driving and car-centric design are.
Amtrak's on-time performance for long-distance trains in May.
June 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Amtrak's on-time performance for long-distance trains in May.
Iowa transit ridership for April
A mixed month for Iowa's top agencies, but overall some modest gains statewide.
A mixed month for Iowa's top agencies, but overall some modest gains statewide.
June 6, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Iowa transit ridership for April
A mixed month for Iowa's top agencies, but overall some modest gains statewide.
A mixed month for Iowa's top agencies, but overall some modest gains statewide.