TheAuroraGroup Statements & Press Releases

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The Long-Distance Service Study presents an opportunity to establish and bolster essential intercity passenger rail connections and build a stronger rail network overall—one that would allow people to get where they need to go safely and efficiently.

In some communities, long-distance trains are the only common carrier passenger transportation option available, and the long-distance network provides millions of Americans with transportation options other than a personal vehicle.

This assessment examines the general lack of transparency with which the Amtrak Board of Directors (“the Board”) operates.

Meetings of the Amtrak Board of Directors are not normally open to the public or the media.

In the normal course of business, the Board does not publish its meeting agendas, meeting minutes, transcripts, recordings or any other information related to its work or its decisions.

With this assessment we review this issue in some detail, compare the transparency of the Amtrak Board of Directors with similar boards of directors, and discuss steps that can be taken to increase the board’s transparency.

This legislation positions rail to play a central role in our transportation and economic future, investing $66 billion in additional rail funding to eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog, modernize the Northeast Corridor, and bring world-class rail service to areas outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic. This is the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak’s creation, 50 years ago and will create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly alternatives for moving people and freight.

The BIL requires the Secretary to establish a program—referred to here as the Corridor Identification and Development Program or Corridor ID Program—to facilitate the development of intercity passenger rail corridors, within 180 days of enactment. 49 U.S.C. 25101(a). The Federal Railroad Administrator is delegated the authority to establish and administer the Corridor ID Program. 49 CFR 1.89(a).

The Corridor ID Program establishes a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning framework that will help guide future federal project development work and capital investments. FRA encourages eligible entities to submit expressions of interest in the Corridor ID Program consistent with the directions below. In addition, as described below, FRA plans to publish a notice soliciting proposals by eligible entities to participate in the Corridor ID Program in the last quarter of this calendar year.city rail passenger service

TAG Presentation to All Aboard Montana starts at 1:49

The Rail Passengers Association (RPA) strongly believes that the ongoing debate concerning the future shape of Amtrak's national network has been distorted by its use of fully allocated costs rather than avoidable costs as required by statute. The adverse outcome of using fully allocated costs is the widespread and incorrect perception that Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor is financially self-sufficient and that Amtrak’s need for taxpayer funding results entirely from its operation of passenger trains in the rest of the nation – the National Network, which consists of state supported regional and federally supported long distance routes. 

There are a myriad of advocacy groups across the country.  If you know of one that has been missed please let us know and we will be sure to alert Rail Passengers Association to add it.