JEFFERSON CITY — Historically, Missouri has held a significant role in the evolution of rail transportation across our nation. In our position as the Gateway to the West, and as more railroad track extended through the plains, this state was vital to westward expansion. As we’ve seen other modes of transportation improve, in both comfort and speed, rail travel lost some of the grandeur it once commanded. But, things are changing.

Amtrak released its most recent survey statistics for Missouri. Happily, in the Show-Me State, Amtrak ridership has gone up 78 percent since 2007, with an increase of 196,661 between FY 07 and FY 13. Amtrak has also worked to increase its on-time performance to 90 percent. Increased ticket revenue, which is the true bread and butter of this industry, rose to 153 percent. And this has led to increased customer satisfaction at 91 percent. That is an all-time high for passenger rail service in this area and the second-highest in the nation.

Since 2011, I have been serving as one of four delegates from Missouri on the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC). This group, currently consisting of 10 states, advocates for improvements to the passenger rail system, promotes those improvements and long-range plans, and coordinates action regarding rail travel in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Recently, MIPRC held its annual meeting at Union Station in Kansas City.

I was appointed chair of the MIPRC Committee on University Partnerships and presented our committee’s results. Throughout the Midwest, there are 150 universities and colleges that are within 10 miles of an Amtrak station. Amtrak recognized that ridership among university communities is up 124 percent, versus the nationwide rise of 40 percent. That is a significant boost. Many students are choosing not to bring vehicles on campus, rather than worrying about parking or theft. And international students play a big part in the rising numbers, as it’s easier to use public transportation and passenger rail service than to purchase and maintain a car for the relatively short time they are in this country. The University Partnerships Committee will be surveying college presidents and university student to determine their opinion of Amtrak and its usefulness to their transportation needs.

Passenger rail service has served this state well since the first steel rail and timber tie were put in place. The 21st Senatorial District is fortunate to have Amtrak service running through the district, and a depot locally in Warrensburg. I look forward to continuing the work of MIPRC to ensure that passenger rail remains an integral part of Missouri’s transportation system, as well as the rest of the Midwest region. For more information about MIPRC and the work the commission is doing, please visit www.miprc.org.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.