Contracting Commuter Rail Services, Volume 2: Commuter Rail System Profiles (2018)

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63 The New Mexico Rail Runner Express (Rail Runner) is New Mexico’s fi rst commuter rail service. Inaugurated in 2006, Rail Runner provides service 7 days a week to 14 stations along a 96.5-mile corridor that runs through Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties, linking numerous communities and tribes. Rail Runner operates within two transit district jurisdictions—the Rio Metro Regional Transit District (including Valencia, Bernalillo, and Sandoval counties) and the North Central Transit District (including Santa Fe County). Three park-and-ride facilities are available at the South Capitol, Sandoval County/US 550, and Downtown Albuquerque stations. Transit connections from Rail Runner stations include fixed-route bus, Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit, and demand-response services, as well as circulator, airport, and casino shuttles. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built the original railroad. This railroad later became BNSF Railway. In 2006, the State of New Mexico, through the New Mexico Department of Transportation, purchased the corridor from BNSF Railway to develop passenger rail. BNSF Railway continues to provide freight service in the corridor. Connections between Rail Runner and Amtrak passenger rail service are available at Downtown Albuquerque Station. The Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) planned and developed the Rail Runner commuter rail project. The Rio Metro Regional Transit District (Rio Metro) manages day-to-day operations for Rail Runner. Rio Metro assumed dispatch responsibilities from BNSF Railway in December 2008 and dispatches all trains for Rail Runner, Amtrak, and BNSF Railway in the 96.5-mile corridor. The dispatch center is located at the MRCOG base in Albuquerque. Rio Metro also dispatches a separate 30-mile rail segment that the Amtrak Southwest Chief Line uses from north of Kewa east to the Amtrak station at Lamy, New Mexico. BNSF Railway still provides dispatch services north of Lamy. Rail Runner trains operate weekdays during peak hours in the morning and afternoon with one midday trip in each direction and one evening southbound trip. Rio Metro buses supplement service on certain early morning routes. Fewer trains run on weekends, with service hours running from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. Rail Runner New Mexico Rail Runner Express Rio Metro Regional Transit District Albuquerque–Santa Fe, NM HISTORY The New Mexico Legislature passed the Regional Transit District Act, enabling multi- jurisdictional transit districts. The legislature authorized transit districts to levy up to a 1⁄2-cent local GRT to fund their operations. The New Mexico Transportation Commission approved the formation of MRTD encompassing Valencia, Bernalillo, and Sandoval counties. MRCOG developed plans for Rail Runner commuter rail. The State of New Mexico bought the commuter rail corridor from BNSF Railway. Rail Runner began operating between downtown Albuquerque and US 550 in Sandoval County. Rail Runner expanded south to Los Lunas and Belen and north to Santa Fe. The Mid-Region Transit District (MRTD) was renamed the Rio Metro Regional Transit District. Voters in the Rio Metro and the North Central Transit District (Santa Fe) jurisdictions served by Rail Runner (Valencia, Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties) approved a 1⁄8-cent gross receipts tax (GRT) to fund the transit districts, with half of the revenue dedicated to rail. MRCOG transferred day-to-day management of Rail Runner to Rio Metro while maintaining general oversight responsibility. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2008 2009

64 Contracting Commuter Rail Services, Volume 2: Commuter Rail System Profiles PERFORMANCE STATISTICS Past Trends 2012–2016 Service Data in RY* 2016 *Report year: for each report year, NTD collects data refl ecting the reporter’s operation in the same fi scal year. Annual Operating Cost: $29,944,982 Total Directional Route Miles: 193 Passenger Car Revenue Miles: 1,406,934 Unlinked Passenger Trips: 886,386 Annual Total Passenger Miles: 39,741,454 Data source: NTD Operating Cost per Passenger Car Revenue Mile Operating Cost per Passenger Passenger Trips per Passenger Car Revenue Mile Passenger Miles per Passenger Trip $21.28$21.65 $19.83$19.37 $15.89 20162015201420132012 $33.78 $30.35 $25.33$24.86 $18.77 20162015201420132012 0.63 0.71 0.780.78 0.85 20162015201420132012 44.8444.6343.8944.4443.43 20162015201420132012 According to the joint use agreement between the State of New Mexico and BNSF Railway, as well as the contractual agreements for purchase of right- of-way, New Mexico owns the rail corridor, and BNSF Railway is a tenant railroad. Under these agreements, New Mexico assumes maintenance responsibilities, and BNSF Railway pays a share of the cost for maintenance of tracks, signals, and the right-of-way according to its usage. These agreements allow the state to operate as many trains as it chooses through the corridor as long as this operation does not aff ect freight service. The joint use agreement also states that New Mexico is responsible for dispatching trains in the corridor. MRCOG houses the dispatch center, and Rio Metro employs the dispatch staff . MRCOG is responsible for marketing the Rail In 2006, New Mexico DOT and MRCOG contracted with Herzog Transit Services, Inc. (HTSI) to operate the Rail Runner service, maintain the vehicles and locomotives, maintain the right-of-way, and construct necessary capital improvements. After a new procurement in 2013, New Mexico DOT and MRCOG made the award to the incumbent contractor, HTSI. The existing contract is a 5-year term with three 1-year options. Under this contract, HTSI contributes to the safety plan developed by MRCOG and is responsible for compliance with regulations of the Federal Railroad Administration. HTSI is also responsible for reporting ridership levels and on-time performance statistics to Rio Metro. MRCOG is a multi-county governmental agency representing Valencia, Bernalillo, Torrance, and Sandoval counties. MRCOG’s board of directors consists of 48 elected and appointed offi cials from the local, municipal, and special units of governments within the four counties. MRCOG provides planning services in the areas of transportation, agriculture, workforce development, employment growth, land use, water, and economic development. MRCOG also serves as the agent for the New Mexico Department of Transportation (New Mexico DOT) to implement Rail Runner. In 2009, MRCOG transferred day-to-day management of Rail Runner to Rio Metro while maintaining general oversight responsibility. Rio Metro is the primary regional transit provider for Valencia, Bernalillo, and Sandoval counties, off ering transit service between municipalities and across county lines. In addition to managing the Rail Runner commuter rail, Rio Metro provides fi xed-route bus and ADA paratransit service in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and demand-response service in the counties. Rio Metro’s services also provide links to other statewide destinations and transportation markets, including Santa Fe, Taos, and Socorro, New Mexico. The Rio Metro Board of Directors consists of 19 elected and appointed offi cials representing Valencia, Bernalillo, and Sandoval counties, as well as the communities of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Belen, Bernalillo, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, Bosque Farms, Los Lunas, and Corrales. Rail Runner operates 9 diesel-electric locomotives, 13 Bombardier bi-level coaches, and 9 Bombardier bi-level cab cars. CONTRACTED SERVICE GOVERNANCE General Contracted Service Informaon Oversight and Responsibilies

Rail Runner 65 A—Agency; B—Host Railroad (RR); C—Amtrak; D—Independent Contractor (RR or Non-RR) Runner service. Rio Metro communicates service changes and updates to the public, provides customer service, and reports Rail Runner performance data to the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database (NTD). The matrix below illustrates the responsibility for major service functions for Rail Runner. The capital letters A and D represent the in-house staff (the State of New Mexico, MRCOG, and Rio Metro) and the independent contractor (HTSI), respectively. In this case, B for the host railroad and C for Amtrak are not applicable. Contracted Service Matrix A B C D Train Operations Maintenance of Infrastructure Maintenance of Equipment Specifi cally: Train Dispatching Services Train Operations Maintenance of Equipment Facilities Maintenance Maintenance of Way Provision of Electric Traction (na) Signals and Communication Positive Train Control Maintenance (na) Station Operations and Maintenance Non-revenue Equipment Provision Safety Management Security Services Environmental Services Management/Oversight Services Materials Management Services Risk Management Assessment Customer Service Functions Marketing Communications Ticketing/Sales Revenue Collection Information Technology Systems Accident/Fatality Investigations/Support Supplemental Work (na) Other (na)