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America needs and deserves a better passenger rail system than it has today.
Amtrak, whose real name is the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, is chartered as a provider of a national rail system. Nevertheless, Amtrak focuses most of its capital and resources on the Northeast, with the rest of the nation taking leftover crumbs in terms of trains, frequencies, and equipment.
Amtrak has been considered for too long as a social problem, and not as a business problem. The concept of Amtrak is viable, but the execution of that concept over the past three decades has been a dismal failure. Too many presidential administrations of both Republicans and Democrats have appointed political cronies to Amtrak's board of directors. Too many congressional oversight committees have ignored Amtrak, and allowed it to become a political football. Too many highly qualified blue ribbon and reform commissions have had their work ignored by self-important Amtrak executives and managers who felt they were accountable to no one but themselves.
Too many Americans have been taken advantage of, had their pockets picked as taxpayers, and have been given in return a fragile passenger rail system that hides the fact that America is the richest and most powerful nation on earth.
Today, a new board of directors appointed in 2004 by President Bush may finally lead Amtrak to a road leading to success. Real, engaged business people and experts have been appointed to the board that have an understanding of the travel industry, big business and real world finances. Hopefully, Amtrak will stop being a gigantic federal jobs program that offers little value for its cost.
Amtrak is two things: a business, and an important part of our domestic transportation network. Amtrak is not a social program that should require perpetual federal and state funding. It is a business that has the ability at some point to be self-sufficient. It is also a reasonable choice for inter-city travel. In today's much-changed travel environment, Amtrak has the ability to offer safe, efficient travel for both leisure and business travel. It has remarkable resources, such as moving restaurants and lounges, as well as moving hotel beds. It can transport individuals and families quickly and comfortably when so motivated. And, most importantly, it has many dedicated employees who yearn to provide a good transportation service, but are restrained by poor executive management.
America and Amtrak deserve better than they have today. It deserves better management, a better federal transportation policy, and a better vision that allows it to accomplish everything it is destined to be as an important part of the richest nation on earth's domestic transportation network.
URPA invites to you be a part of the solution by joining our efforts for an improved Amtrak.