GLEN ROCK, N.J. — A New Jersey congressman wants Amtrak and NJ Transit passengers to receive full refunds for significantly late trains, as well as those that are canceled.
U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Bergen County) on Monday announced plans to introduce the “All Aboard Act.” It would include a Passenger Bill of Rights requiring automatic full refunds when trains are canceled or significantly changed by more than three hours, similar to a proposal for airline passengers.
Text of the bill was not immediately available, but it appears the refund is focused only on services on the Northeast Corridor, not elsewhere on the Amtrak’s national network. In prepared remarks for a press conference Monday at the Glen Rock NJ Transit station, Gottheimer cited extensive statistics about Amtrak delays on the corridor, and the degree to which Amtrak issues lead to NJ Transit delays.
Gottheimer said his bill would also call for Amtrak to “immediately deploy” $6 billion in federal funding for Northeast Corridor infrastructure, and be required to produce a report on new maintenance strategies within the next six months to address the company’s strategy of waiting to replace infrastructure until well after its known lifespan.
Yes, and NJT bus and Light Rail should do it also. And the Turnpike and Parkway refund the tolls.
You’ll need the staffing to process and verify the claims; the data processing capacity to carry the information. It might work if you doubled the fares.
Politicians frequently think money is free. “It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.” But it comes from somewhere and I’m sure the Hon. hasn’t considered that part.
NEC (North East Corridor) – “Nothing Else Counts” ……
Maybe Amtrak could payout these “refunds” from some of the $66B that the Biden Regime has committed to Amtrak over the next 5+ years? BTW, where is all of that funding and how is it going to improve Amtrak ? (And make it a truly “National Passenger Rail” service worthy of this country?)
As for New Jersey Transit (NJT), I’m not sure how they’d pay out their required refunds (if this absurdity of a proposal becomes law), given that NJT appears to be quite broken and dysfunctional. Maybe they could pay out their “refunds” in gold bars found in Senator Menendez’s coat pocket …?
OH Boo Hoo! We’re the center of the universe things like this aren’t suppose to happen us! Welcome to our world!! Amtrak should be charging these commuter agencies way more to operate on their tracks they use it far more than Amtrak. This is why they especially the Reps on the NEC don’t want Amtrak LD & Regional to be operated separate from the NEC the huge loses of the NEC would become apparent which would require higher fees from the commuters.
Election year blah, blah, blah. It will be forgotten (as it should be) as soon as the election is over. This guy is just another bottom feeding politician.
Not just him. We have gnat-brained two candidates for POTUS loudly proclaiming the idea of eliminating income taxes on tipped income. Never mind such comparatively trivial issues as war in the Middle East, war in Ukraine, petroleum production, who will appoint the next Supreme Court justice, DEI, abortion, transsexualism for children, border control, subsidies and medical care for illegal aliens, mandated electrification of everything (with no vote in Congress), etc. etc. etc.
The Donald, the Kamel, and RFK Jr. each could give this dodo from Jersey a real contest on the race to the bottom.
Refunding is a business management decision not a political one.
As for reporting on the status on how the $6 billion will be spent, transparency is always desired but doesnt federal law require it already?
I hope the Congressman will provide detailed instructions on how Amtrak and NJ Transit will process these refunds cheaply and easily. But I doubt it. They never think through the process and don’t care about practical challenges to their grand schemes. Just get the headlines.