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- During FY 2005, Amtrak carried more than 25.4 million passengers, representing the third straight fiscal year of record ridership. An average of over 69,000 passengers rode on up to 300 Amtrak trains daily, generating approximately $1.89 billion in revenue. In FY 2005, Amtrak covered 64% of its operating costs; excluding depreciation, Amtrak covered 79% of its operating costs.
- An average of approximately 777,000 people each day depend on commuter rail services operated under contract by Amtrak or use Amtrak-owned infrastructure, shared operations and dispatching. In fact, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor is the busiest railroad in North America, with more than 1,700 trains operating over some portion of the Washington-Boston route each day. If included among U.S. airlines, Amtrak would rank 8th in the number of passengers served, with a market share of nearly 5%. On average, there are nearly twice as many passengers on an Amtrak train than there are on a domestic airline flight.
- Thirteen states contract with Amtrak for the operation of trains that supplement the national Amtrak network by extending the reach of passenger rail services or provide additional frequencies on Amtrak routes. State and regional agencies pay most of the cost of these services, reimbursing Amtrak for direct expenses. In addition to operating funds, many of these states also provide funds for infrastructure or other capital improvements to Amtrak routes in their states. As just one example, in response to skyrocketing ridership and $3.00 per gallon gasoline, the State of Illinois doubled its passenger rail budget last year, which has significantly increased frequency of service.
- Unfortunately, however, the vast majority of Amtrak workers have not had a new contract since 2000, and for years Amtrak has refused to bargain. In fact, one of our sister unions -- the BMWED -- has been proposing binding arbitration to settle their dispute for several years, and Amtrak has refused to arbitrate.
- Over the past thirty-five years, there have been no stronger and more reliable supporters for Amtrak than the men and women who work for the nation's passenger railroad and their Rail Labor Organizations. From deferring wage increases, to agreeing to significant work rule relief, to accepting contract settlements significantly inferior to freight and commuter railroad settlements, to relentlessly working Capitol Hill for full funding, we have given for Amtrak's survival.
- Amtrak workers must be treated fairly and their long-overdue contracts must be considered as part of authorizing and appropriating federal funds for Amtrak service in the future. The Teamsters Rail Conference is preparing a specific proposal that will address this issue.