December 1998

A Message from the Executive Director On Time Performance Goals As we approach the end of the year here at Tri-Rail, I am looking back at what I view as a successful 1998, while looking ahead to a busy, productive 1999 at your Tri-County Commuter Rail Authority. I'd like to thank all of Tri-Rail's loyal customers who have helped make this year such a success. We are looking forward to serving you in 1999! With that in mind, I'd like to take some time to discuss one of our major priorities in making Tri-Rail more efficient and convenient for our passengers - ensuring that our trains run on time. We know that achieving our overall goal - doubling Tri-Rail ridership over the next five years - hinges on reliability. Reliability is an integral component of improving ridership - and reliability depends on passenger and freight railroads being able to operate within clear and concise "windows" or time periods. Our efforts to achieve that goal began with a precedent-setting agreement signed in July 1998 by officials from Tri-Rail, its contract operator Herzog Transit Services, Inc., CSXT freight railroad and the Florida Department of Transportation. This unique Joint Memorandum of Understanding between the four groups - which reflected a new and cooperative age for joint use rail corridors - actually changed the way trains are operated along the South Florida Rail Corridor. Prior to this agreement, vague language dictated operating procedures and priorities within the South Florida Rail Corridor, which stretches from Miami to West Palm Beach. The lack of specificity resulted in ambiguous dispatching and caused delays to commuters traveling on Tri-Rail in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. This was changed with the agreement's new language that outlined operating windows, dispatching priorities and performance goals along the corridor. Maintenance, and its potential impact for on-time performance, also is being added. The agreement helps us reach our goal this year of Tri-Rail running its trains 95% on time or higher. We at Tri-Rail are committed to contributing to the success of this agreement and to achieving our on-time goals to better serve you. Happy holidays and see you on board! Linda Bohlinger -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shuttle Lets You Stay Late for "Clematis By Night" Tri-Rail and Palm Tran have inaugurated a new, free shuttle service linking the city of West Palm Beach's uptown and downtown areas with the Tri-Rail station off Tamarind Avenue in West Palm Beach. The service, which is financed by the Florida Department of Transportation, operates every 20 minutes from about 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The shuttles are timed to meet Tri-Rail trains, allowing for convenient passenger connections. On Thursdays and Fridays, an extended downtown evening service that runs until 8:45 p.m. allows riders to take advantage of the weekly Clematis by Night event and other downtown activities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Tri-Rail for Holiday Shopping and Fun Deading the hectic holiday shopping scene? Did you know that Tri-Rail can relieve some of your holiday hassles and put the joy back into your holiday season? Tri-Rail can take you where you need to go! Remember, in addition to our weekday service, we also provide convenient service on weekends and our flat $4 fare on weekends is the best bet in South Florida. Mass transit connections to malls, shopping centers and attractions are available from Tri-Rail stations. Avoid fighting your way through parking lots by taking Tri-Rail. Here's a look at some of the area's most popular destinations, all accessible via Tri-Rail: Sawgrass Mills, the Shops of Las Olas, The Galleria, Town Center at Boca Raton, Boynton Beach Mail, Clematis Street, Aventura Mall, Bayside - All of these popular tri-county shopping areas can be reached by taking Tri-Rail and mass transit connections. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport - All three major South Florida airports can be reached via Tri-Rail and free shuttle service that takes you directly to the terminal. Hialeah Racetrack, Museum of Discovery & Science, the Swap Shop and Vizcaya - Make some time to rediscover South Florida attractions or entertain your guests during the holidays by taking advantage of the convenience of Tri-Rail to get there! Call 1-800-TRI-RAIL in Florida to confirm itineraries and travel details. Sawgrass Mills Mall is a popular shopping destination accessible by Tri-Rail with mass transit connections. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tri-Rail to New York: 3 hours, 33 minutes. Flight and train time included In an effort to attract more leisure and business travelers, Tri-Rail recently initiated its "Trains to Plane" marketing campaign in Tri-County newspapers and in 60-second radio spots. An attempt to educate existing and potential passengers about train services to South Florida's major airports, this new campaign highlighted the fact that Tri-Rail is an affordable and easy-to-use link in South Florida's network of transportation options. Remember, if you are planing a trip out of town, you too can benefit from Tri-Rail's Train to Plane service. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tax Credit for Riding Tri-Rail Along with cost and convenience, there is another benefit to riding Tri-Rail to and from your workplace. President Clinton has signed legislation that allows workers who use mass transit to get to work to deduct part of their commuting cost from their salaries on a pre-tax basis. Earlier this year, the President signed the Transportation Act for the 21st Century, an amendment to the Internal Revenue Code, to allow salary reduction contributions for all "qualified transportation fringe benefits." This includes any form of transit (bus or train, e.g., Tri-Rail) and allows employees to deduct up to $65 per month for transportation expenses incurred in commuting to or from work. Presumably, this program will operate in the same manner as the salary reduction agreements for qualified parking benefits. That means the deduction cannot be part of a cafeteria plan (like childcare or elder care deductions), but it will operate in a similar manner to those plans. The current limit on qualified parking benefits is $175 per month. Both the transportation and parking benefit amounts will be adjusted for inflation after 1999 and the monthly transportation deduction benefit will automatically increase to $100 in 2002. For additional information, you can contact the Internal Revenue Service at 800/829-1040. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Be Our Rider of the Month At Tri-Rail, we care what you think. Each month in ALL ABOARD! we will feature a question or comment submitted by one of our riders, who will be featured as "Rider of the Month," along with a response from Executive Director Linda Bohlinger. Please mail your question to Tri-Rail, Marketing Department, Attn: Rider of the Month, at our administrative office, 800 NW 33rd Street, Ste. 100, Pompano Beach, FL 33064, or fax it to 954/788-7878 to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.