Public Transit Use & Performance
How do San Joaquin County residents utilize public transit, and what are the key performance trends?
84.0%
of Gold Runner’s FY2019 ridership was reached in FY2025 (899,903 of 1,071,190 passenger trips).
56.2%
of ACE’s FY2019 ridership was reached in FY2025 (846,662 of 1,506,183 passenger trips).
FY2019 = 100
Each service is indexed to its own FY2019 ridership, so an index of 100 marks a full return to pre-pandemic levels. These are service-wide passenger trips, not per-resident rates.
Public Transit Use & Performance
Ridership Trend for Gold Runner (formerly Amtrak San Joaquins)
Amtrak–San Joaquins ridership showed steady performance between 2016 and 2019, averaging around 1.1 million passengers annually, before experiencing a sharp decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ridership decreased from 1,071,190 in 2019 to 606,728 in 2020 and reached its lowest point in 2021 with 434,099 passengers, likely reflecting the significant impact of travel restrictions and reduced mobility during the pandemic. Since the year 2022, ridership has steadily increased. While this marks a strong rebound, the 2024 total value remains about 15% below pre-pandemic levels. The confirmed FY 2025 total was approximately 899,800 route-wide trips. While ridership has increased substantially from the 2021 low, the FY 2025 figure remains below the pre-pandemic 2019 total. Overall, the data highlights a resilient upward trend as passenger confidence and regional travel activity continue to improve.
84.0%
of Gold Runner’s FY2019 ridership was reached in FY2025 (899,903 of 1,071,190 passenger trips).
Ridership Trend for Altamont Corridor Express (ACE)
ACE ridership showed steady growth, between the years 2016 and 2019, increasing from about 1.29 million riders in 2016 to a peak of 1.51 million in 2019, reflecting strong pre-pandemic commuter demand and regional connectivity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to a decline, with ridership dropping to roughly 1.06 million, followed by a sharp decline in 2021 to just 160,007 riders — a nearly 90% decrease from 2019 levels. Since then, ACE ridership has been on a gradual recovery path, doubling between 2021 and 2022, and increasing further to 681,351 in 2024. Despite this rebound, 2024 levels remain about 55% below the 2019 pre-pandemic peak, suggesting that full recovery has yet to be achieved. In general, the data indicates a resilient upward trend since 2021, reflecting the slow but ongoing return of commuters and travelers.
56.2%
of ACE’s FY2019 ridership was reached in FY2025 (846,662 of 1,506,183 passenger trips).
Ridership Recovery (FY2019 = 100)
Gold Runner, formerly Amtrak San Joaquins, recorded 899,903 passenger trips in FY2025, 84.0% of its FY2019 level of 1,071,190. ACE recorded 846,662 passenger trips in FY2025, 56.2% of its FY2019 level of 1,506,183. These are service-wide counts, not unique passengers or trips by San Joaquin County residents. Amtrak’s fiscal year ends September 30; ACE’s ends June 30, so the fiscal-year windows differ.
FY2019 = 100
Each service is indexed to its own FY2019 ridership, so an index of 100 marks a full return to pre-pandemic levels. These are service-wide passenger trips, not per-resident rates.