CHICAGO — Amtrak has retreated from its stance that two wheelchair users would have to pay $25,000 to take a train from Chicago to Bloomington, Ill., saying it would find a way to carry those passengers — and two others headed to the same conference — for the regular $16 ticket cost.
National Public Radio, which first reported the case of staff members for disability service and advocacy group Access Living [see “Amtrak asks passengers in wheelchairs to pay $25,000 for trip in Illinois,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 20, 2020], reported Monday evening that “two senior Amtrak officials” called a lawyer for Access Living and said the passenger railroad would find space to carry all the passengers in wheelchairs at the regular price.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who lost both legs in military service in Iraq, had called Amtrak’s stance “outrageous” and requested a meeting with CEO Richard Anderson. In a statement to NPR, Amtrak apologized to Access Living “for their inconvenience as we have been working through how to serve their travel needs.” The company said it would review its poiicy and meet with Duckworth.
Hopefully, This will spread nationwide that Amtrak will not do this to other people.
Amtrak needs new leadership.
I still don’t know why Amtrak and local transit must accommodate wheelchairs when airlines don’t
The senator must know this herself as most congress members travel by scheduled air transport
It’s easy to pick on Amtrak but United airlines has far more money
Bravo to NPR and Senator Duckworth for shining a public light on this absurd travesty. Funny how fast Amtrak reversed its decision in the light of negative public attention, and a warning shot from a United States Senator (who just happens to have a disability herself).
Smart move on Amtraks part.
Mr. Roy: Part of the issue was time. The passengers wanted to be on the first train of the day to attend a conference. The second train would arrive after the conference started. An earlier train was the previous day which would require incurring the cost of a hotel. The second group of two passengers in wheelchairs was after the Amtrak had quoted the $25,000 for the fourth and fifth passengers in wheelchairs.
I doubt any bus service would have been able to accommodate the passengers assuming the service ran on a schedule that the passengers needed. From the discussion about airlines and their lack of accommodation of wheelchair bound passengers combined with the lack of bus service, one can easily see that more transportation alternatives are needed.
sorry gang, wrong story, right post.
trust but verify is a Russian proverb and Russians like to talk in proverbs. Reagan used their own words to make a point. History is amazing!
“Enjoy the Journey”???
Ooopsie. Our bad. Move along folks – nothing to see here.
This is an example of the Anderson Era of Stupidity Management. A complete refusal to carry the disabled passengers would have met with less resistance than to add a $24,984 upcharge.
Clean up your news wire, Trains. You have both the pre and post decision article still posted. Sloppy reporting.
Sign up with Baltimore Sun newsletter. What happened in Wilmington, Delaware?
Amtrak needs to add 100-150 fully accessible coaches to their fleet. They need 500+ amfleet and amfleet II coaches. So, they are building viewliner diners they do not want. They are seriously in need of fresh leadership to clean up the mess they are creating for themselves.
Amtrak said they would accommodate all of them without re-configuring the seating. I wish they had said how they could do that. And also why couldn’t they have done that in the first place.
Aside from this story, I understand disabled people want and should be able to get around as much as anyone else but at what point does the cost become excessive?
Yeesh, they’ve never heard of the Architectural Barriers Act, to which federal entities are subject (similar to the ADA for private entities)? A pretty basic piece of knowledge any manager should be aware of.
They are so adept at shooting themselves in the foot, it’s a wonder they have any toes left. A few days ago the first Auto Train with no coach diner was met by no less than ZERO food trucks–not sure if it was 52 or 53 (or both), but the coach pax had to make do with lounge car snacks.