Caltrain may cut weekend, midday or midnight service to resolve its financial woes, officials said Thursday.
The commuter rail’s CEO, Mike Scanlon, told the Caltrain board of directors Thursday that declining revenues could mean slashed services in the next year and beyond.
“Nothing is for certain yet,” said Tasha Bartholomew, a Caltrain spokesperson. “A lot of discussion needs to happen with the board.”
But cuts “would need to be done in the next 15 months,” Bartholomew said. “We’re running out of money. It’s bad.”
The number of midday trains already dropped to 90 from 98 earlier this year.
“Could that be the next to go?” Bartholomew asked. “Maybe.”
She added that Caltrain’s lack of a dedicated funding source has always strained the $97 million service, but the halt of state funding and decline in ridership this year have deepened the deficit.
The board did not discuss fare increases on Thursday, but could consider it. Fares were last hiked in January 2009.
The Caltrain served an average of 18,211 passengers on weekends in 2008-09, as well as 5,718 midday riders and 2,082 night passengers. The service stops in Palo Alto north of University Avenue.
-Elizabeth Titus