Las Vegas monorail not attracting more riders

[Grant]

LAS VEGAS – Ridership on the Las Vegas monorail remained virtually stagnant last month, and monorail officials said they don't expect to see increases in November.

In October, an average 28,820 riders a day took the $650 million transit line, which largely shuttles tourists up and down the Las Vegas Strip. That's a very slight decrease from September's numbers, and about a 12 percent drop since ridership peaked in July 2005.

Officials said they think the October turnstile count was a sign of a seasonal tourist slowdown.

The monorail opened July 15, 2004, with expectations that daily ridership would reach 50,000.

In October, the monorail brought in $84,507 a day in fare revenues, a tad behind September's daily norm of $85,328.

The system has yet to make a profit, though officials hope that a boost in ridership and advertising sales in 2006 will help the system break even. The system is about $50,000 a day short of fare and ad revenues paying for all operating costs and debt.

Source:ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Grant]

Has anyone here road the monorail?

I have seen it but haven't been on it yet...

[doctor_al]

I rode it back in March. As a train, it ain't the smoothest ride, but it gets the job done. I still think it raises the value of a place like the Sahara. Faster than the bus on a busy day.

Just returned from Vegas and didnt ride the monarail. We even had a free ticket from our daughter. She was there a few weeks ago and didnt use all of her ticket, she had bought a 10 ride ticket.
All the terminals are behind the casinos and just seemed like to much bother to try and find them.

[Livinthedream]

Unless you are going far not worth the hassle. Way in the back of the Casino's. We were just staying at IP and took it to a concert at MGM. That was nice . Took it one to the Sahara and wlked down to Mid Strip and walked back. Nice to hit the north strip places. Short haul do not bother.

[GREGRIO]

I have NO INTEREST in ever using it...I'm a CAB GUY
and always will be.
The best use tourists will get out of the Monorail, will
be when/...IF it gets extended to downtown, and I don't
think it would ever be practical to use to get to McCarran...
can't you just see all those folks HOLDING UP THE TRAIN
loading all their baggage...(after they've lugged it) all the
way to the Terminal...then unloading at the airport...
NOT GOING TO WORK WELL...
Bad locations and planning have made the Monorail and exensive
and poor choice for Las Vegas.

I agree with you Greg.

Now the possibility of it going downtown would make sense. But to use it with the casino's on the south end, geeeeeez you might as well walk from casino to casino.

By the time you trapse from one end of the casino to the other, forget it.

[doctor_al]

Agreed that the stations are a hike. But it does breathe a little new life into places like Sahara and LV Hilton by giving you access to the mid/south strip areas. If you have the cash for cabs everywhere, sure that's better. But IMO you have to think of it as an alternative to the bus, which can't make any headway up and down the strip. North of treasure island, the bus is great, but south of that, forget it.

McCarren would be killer. When my buddy lived in Chicago, I'd fly to midway and take the El into town. And on a previous trip, I took the light rail from Minneapolis out to the airport. 'course I only do that when I fly with only a carryon. The Paris Hilton types who bring their entire wardrobe will still need a cab.

[GREGRIO]

They should have built a Subway to begin with...everyone could use it.

I visited Vegas for the first time in July 2004 for a huge convention. The monorail saved my family a lot of trouble. We stayed at the Grand Vacations Club on Karen Ave. next to the Las Vegas Hilton. The monorail stop was right there. So, when we had to go up to the MGM for an event, we'd hop on the monorail and just go. I loved it.

I'm going back to Vegas in May for my b-day. I plan on using the monorail for almost everything. I agree, the stations are quite a hike from the street but after a while, I got use to it and I was able to navagate my way up to the surface without much trouble. And since Vegas is a 24/7 town, I would think that the monorail would be 24/7 too- not so. I think it's 2 am during Sun-Thurs. and 3 a.m. Fri & Sat.