OTTAWA - An internal report says a campaign to fill Via Rail trains with military families during the summer boosted Via revenues by about $900,000.
However, the freebie offer still leaves Via Rail -- which ran a $200-million deficit last year -- a long way from profitability.
More than 58,000 tickets were issued under the special promotion, which allowed Canadian Forces members, veterans and civilian workers at National Defence to ride free in July.
Family members paid half price and kids travelled free.
Via Rail estimates all those tickets were worth about $4 million retail, with revenues per ticket on average less than one-quarter of the regular price.
For the last seven years, ridership has been dropping markedly in July and Via had sought a way to increase summer revenues and fill half-empty trains.
Via Rail had expected the promotion, limited to economy-class seats, would force more customers to upgrade to first-class as the cheaper tickets sold out.
In the end, the freebie campaign netted $783,000 directly -- and another $133,000 in so-called spinoff revenue.
The report and other related documents were obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.
Via Rail's offer of free travel in July triggered a backlash at the time, as soldiers serving in Afghanistan that month missed out on the deal.
