BILLINGS, Mont. — As this editorial is written, the future of America’s rail passenger service is in doubt. Amtrak’s new chief executive officer David Gunn says the railroad needs government help to close a $200 million budget shortfall. The railroad’s alternative, Gunn says, is bankruptcy and shutting down as early as July, according to an editorial in the Billings Gazette.
Amtrak needs a lot of work to improve management, service and efficiency. But President Bush and Congress must see that the railroad doesn’t shut down. Amtrak carried 23.5 million passengers across America last year.
In Montana, Amtrak is an important transportation link across the Hi-Line, moving residents, tourists and merchandise across northern Montana. Businesses depend on the railroad to delivery everything from flowers to hotel guests.
In the Eastern United States, Amtrak runs commuter trains that are essential to the urban transportation system. Shutting down Amtrak passenger trains could hurt commuter railroads serving hundreds of thousands of people, mostly along the Atlantic Seaboard. Their numbers would overwhelm the highways and bus system if the trains shut down.
The Sept. 11 attacks starkly illustrated the need for a national transportation system that is more than air transportation. When the planes were grounded in those terrible days after the attacks, Americans depended on railroads and other ground transportation to keep our nation moving. And the demand for rail transportation is likely to grow in this terrorism-conscious new era. New airport security measures make train travel a relatively quicker, more convenient option for more travelers.
As a Wall Street Journal report noted Monday, most inter-city passenger rail systems around the world get government subsidies. It’s not realistic to expect that Amtrak will be self-supporting, but it is critical to maintain the service. The U.S. government bailed out the airlines ($15 billion last year). It subsidizes highway construction ($30 billion this year, according to the Boston Globe). It should help sustain passenger rail service across America.
However, government aid to Amtrak should come with some strings attached: Standards for Gunn and company to meet for good service and higher productivity.
Congress and president Bush must keep the trains running.