The Florida Department of Transportation announced today that it will operate an additional round-trip train to test customer demand for enhanced SunRail service. The additional daily train will be added to the current SunRail schedule starting on Monday, December 22, 2014, departing the DeBary station and heading Southbound at 9:05 p.m.; arriving at the Sand Lake Road Station at 10:08 p.m. The additional train will then head Northbound, departing the Sand Lake Road station at 10:20 p.m. and arriving at the DeBary station at 11:23 p.m.
The Department anticipates that this additional train will help satisfy customer demand for additional service later in the evening for events at the Amway Center, the new Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and additional evening activities along the Central Florida Rail Corridor – particularly during the holiday season. As is currently the case with SunRail operations, the additional train will not operate on weekends or most federal holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
To promote the additional SunRail service, the Department also plans to launch a “Be Merry and Ride!” marketing campaign that will include digital billboard messages along the Interstate 4 corridor, radio advertisements, social media promotions and co-branding opportunities with venues and community partners.
The Department will pay for fuel needed to operate the additional train, and the SunRail contract operator, Bombardier Transportation, will extend existing crew schedules at no cost to facilitate the expanded test schedule. Once instituted, the enhanced SunRail service will be closely monitored by the Department to assess ridership trends, as well as the feasibility of introducing permanent late-evening service.
The Department anticipates that this additional train will help satisfy customer demand for additional service later in the evening for events at the Amway Center, the new Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and additional evening activities along the Central Florida Rail Corridor – particularly during the holiday season. As is currently the case with SunRail operations, the additional train will not operate on weekends or most federal holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
To promote the additional SunRail service, the Department also plans to launch a “Be Merry and Ride!” marketing campaign that will include digital billboard messages along the Interstate 4 corridor, radio advertisements, social media promotions and co-branding opportunities with venues and community partners.
The Department will pay for fuel needed to operate the additional train, and the SunRail contract operator, Bombardier Transportation, will extend existing crew schedules at no cost to facilitate the expanded test schedule. Once instituted, the enhanced SunRail service will be closely monitored by the Department to assess ridership trends, as well as the feasibility of introducing permanent late-evening service.