LIRR: Ridership up 1.5% in Oct.

The Long Island Rail Road saw its largest growth in riders in nearly three years last month, and there is evidence that the numbers will keep going up, LIRR officials said Monday, indicating the gains could herald an economic recovery.

The 6.9 million riders in October was 1.5 percent higher than during the same month last year. The last time ridership grew by this much was in December 2008, as compared with December 2007.

October was the second consecutive month in which ridership climbed from a year earlier. September ridership was up 0.8 percent. But for smaller gains in February and March, LIRR ridership had steadily declined following the beginning of the economic collapse in late 2008.

LIRR president Helena Williams said the ridership increases in September and October may be an indication of Long Island's economic recovery.

"The Long Island Rail Road has historically been a very accurate barometer of the health of the Long Island region," Williams said. "When we do well, it indicates that there is a better, upbeat economic picture on Long Island."

LIRR customers traveling during peak times grew about 0.4 percent in October -- an indication that more people have a job to travel to and from than a year earlier.

"It shows that we're starting to rebound just ever so slightly," said LIRR chief financial officer Mark Young. "And what we have to watch is: Can we build on that for the region?"

The LIRR saw its biggest gains in off-peak travel, which grew by 3 percent to about 2.6 million people in October. The LIRR said promotions helped.