March 16, 2022
Senator Maria Cantwell
Chair, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Dear Senator Cantwell.
We are once again writing on behalf of our members, as well as the millions of Americans who depend on public transportation on a regular basis to travel to work, see relatives, seek medical attention, food and other necessities of life.
As you know, Amtrak has announced it is extending its current five-day-a-week long-distance service until May 31 and possibly later. This comes after a series of events which started during the Fall of 2020. At that time, Amtrak reduced all of its daily services to three days each week, stating it was doing so because Covid had reduced ridership below a threshold enabling it to operate economically as mandated by the federal government. Rail advocates at both the national and the state level strenuously opposed Amtrak’s decision, and contacted their respective congressional and senatorial representatives.
Even though Congress ultimately provided extra funds needed to continue 7 day a week long distance service, Amtrak unfortunately ignored the concerns of Congress and rail passenger advocates not only curtailing daily service, but also furloughing operating and service personnel across their entire system of routes. Congress not only came through with funds enabling Amtrak to continue operating until the government mandated nationwide Covid shutdown ended, they added an additional 66 billion dollars ($22B to repair/refresh equipment and to purchase much needed new equipment, and $44B to improve, enhance, and expand service around the country.) This may not occur for some time because of Amtrak’s shortsighted service reduction plan which included also shutting down their hiring and training departments. Not only are the furloughed service and operating crews not returning, as we warned might occur, Amtrak is unable to rapidly hire and train new personnel. This is either a significant error in judgment on the part of Amtrak’s upper management, or a carefully calculated early step in ridding itself of long-distance train service. We can look at both cases.
If an error in judgment, then the blame may be placed squarely on Amtrak’s Board of Directors who have hired and replaced four CEOs in the last five years. During that time there has been an exodus of the railroad’s institutional knowledge, with the departure of many vice-presidents and heads of departments, as well as mid-level management. Amtrak continues to cause itself (and the traveling public) harm with its poor business decisions.
If a deliberate ploy to aid in discontinuing long-distance train service nationwide, then one may conclude they are blatantly disregarding Congressional mandates (and funding) to improve and expand passenger rail service throughout the United States. Stephen Gardner is the man who gave us the current iteration of the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act (PRIIA), which specifies that no long-distance trains may be added to the system. This and other actions by him have led us and other to believe that he wants to completely abolish the network of long-distance trains.
Similarly, Amtrak’s woeful lack of employees, equipment, and interest in its business is a threat to the country’s transportation and economic future. Additionally, attempts to evacuate weather events by highway in recent years have been rather less than successful. Like the National Guard, the country needs standby transportation capacity for emergencies.
We need to be on record that this is inexcusable and is once again part of the effort of the President and CEO of Amtrak to ultimately destroy long distance service. Amtrak should be treated as a public service company and funded and governed as such.
We recommend the termination and replacement of its current Board. Replacement should be made up according to the recommendations of Congress to include one or more knowledgeable members of the rail passenger advocacy movement.
We again request that Congress demand answers from Amtrak as to their reasons for these grave cuts in service, which may turn riders (& future riders) off from utilizing our national rail system, which in many ways – pays for itself.
Sincerely,
Richard Rudolph, Ph.D.
Chairman, Rail Users’ Network