United Rail Passenger Alliance

Volume 3 Number 23

1. A new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) was released in Washington earlier this week under the signature of JayEtta Z. Hecker, the Director for Physical Infrastructure Issues of the GAO. The report purports to predict what will happen to commuter agencies if the sky starts falling in the highly unlikely event Amtrak would cease operations because of its many financial and other struggles.This report can be considered from two different viewpoints. For Amtrak apologists and those wishing to prop up Amtrak at any price, “Commuter Rail: Commuter Rail Issues Should Be Considered in Debate over Amtrak” provides plenty of ammunition why Amtrak should be kept at least in a minimum level of existence, if for nothing more than a convenience for hidden funding and cheaply available workforce for some commuter agencies.For those more enlightened, this report demonstrates vividly why the Northeast Corridor infrastructure desperately needs to be pulled away from Amtrak in its present form and put under a separate, more accountable structure for the benefit of everyone including Amtrak, contracting NEC commuter agencies, commuters themselves, taxpayers on every level, and the commonweal. The report, as others before it, also points out a number of issues which need the utmost attention of the next President and CEO of Amtrak. Again, we see unforgivable business practices by past stewards of Amtrak which have caused the company – and the entire issue of viable passenger rail for the United States – to constantly be questioned as to practicality and desirability. Not until these issues are solved will Amtrak be able to begin to move forward to its rightful place as an important part of our domestic transportation network.

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Volume 3 Number 22

1. Well, we were all set to possibly hear about a new President and Chief Executive Officer for Amtrak, and instead the White House has given us two new nominees for the board of directors.Yesterday, the Bush Administration nominated R. Hunter Biden of Delaware, and Donna R. McLean of Washington, D.C. as board member nominees, for Senate confirmation.

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Volume 3 Number 21

1. Tick, tick, tick, tick … As of this writing, very close to the middle of May, no new Amtrak President and CEO has been named. We all await the choice of the Amtrak Board of Directors with great anticipation.
2. Whoever becomes the next chief steward of Amtrak, there are several daunting tasks that need to be undertaken immediately, above and beyond the financial, mechanical, transportation, passenger service, and operating issues.The Amtrak marketing department needs to be taken apart and put back together with a group of new professionals dedicated to the concept of Amtrak’s mandate to operate a national system of long distance trains. With the new group needs to be a new budget for marketing and advertising, that is more closely aligned with private sector budgets matching marketing performance with company revenues. Amtrak is spending about half now of what it should in this area, and the results demonstrate both a too small budget and a too wrong focus for Amtrak advertising.

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Volume 3 Number 20

1. This is the fifth and last in a series of special editions of This Week at Amtrak concerning a report by a bi-partisan forum of congressmen known as the Amtrak Working Group, led by Congressman Richard Baker of Louisiana. In March, this group issued the most important government document regarding Amtrak since the final report of the Amtrak Reform Council was issued in December of 2002 by Chairman Gil Carmichael and his blue ribbon panel. The title of the AWG report is “Amtrak in the 21st Century.”
2. Amtrak Chairman of the Board David Laney was quoted in a news article earlier this year saying a new President and CEO of Amtrak would likely be named in mid-May, which is only days away. We do know a well-known, international search firm was engaged to handle the search, and a number of respected candidates are part of the process. As this week marks the 35th anniversary of the start of Amtrak operations, we eagerly await the naming of a new chief for Amtrak.Whoever the new chief is, the Amtrak Working Group report has clearly outlined much of a full agenda of change which needs to be completed. In the past few months, we also know change has begun at Amtrak, under the combined leadership of Mr. Laney and Acting President David Hughes. Mr. Hughes has left a favorable impression wherever he has gone, helping boost employee morale and not hesitating to make needed changes. All of this process has been good, and long overdue.

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