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Commuter rail systems differ from long-distance intercity trains in that their schedules are built around a narrow daily peak rather than steady all-day demand. Operators typically run their full fleet only during the morning and evening rush, then scale back to a skeleton schedule for the remaining hours, since running near-empty trains at midday would waste fuel and crew hours without attracting proportional ridership. This peak-driven model creates a staffing challenge: drivers and conductors must be available for two concentrated shifts rather than one continuous workday, often requiring split shifts with an unpaid gap in the middle. Transit agencies have experimented with staggered employer start times in surrounding office districts to flatten the peak, but adoption has been slow because few employers are willing to alter working hours for a transit agency's scheduling convenience.