In an increasingly divided Congress beleaguered by partisan stalemates, there is at least one issue where both sides of the aisle continue to come together in support: long-distance passenger rail.
Republicans and Democrats alike, from rural and urban areas across the nation, have advocated for long-distance rail service for years, including a 2015 bipartisan effort—spearheaded by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Mississippi, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey—to authorize funding for Amtrak in the FAST Act for the first time.
Despite such widespread support, however, Amtrak recently cut its long-distance service from seven days a week down to three—drawing dismay from supporters across the political spectrum. The service cuts come in response to financial strains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But supporters argue long-distance rail is Amtrak’s most profitable and in demand line, as they urge Amtrak to reinstitute the service once the coronavirus crisis subsides.
“Long-distance passenger rail, like the Southwest Chief, provides an important service to rural communities, connecting Kansans to job markets, their families and the rest of the country,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly impacted Amtrak and the transportation industry, I remain committed to ensuring the longevity of long-distance rail and its return to daily service.”
Multiple bipartisan members of Congress have written letters to Amtrak leadership opposing the service reductions, as well as the decision to cut more than 2,000 jobs.
In a June letter to Amtrak President William Flynn, three Democratic senators—Michael Bennet, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich—and four Republican senators—Steve Daines, Kevin Cramer, Mike Braun and John Hoeven—expressed concerns about the cuts. They also asked Amtrak to provide information to Congress on what it would cost to maintain previous service levels.
“These actions will eliminate thousands of points of connection and dramatically reduce the utility of Amtrak as a transportation provider, irrevocably hurting hundreds of communities and small towns already devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads the letter.
Wicker, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and long-time supporter of restoring Gulf Coast passenger rail, also penned a letter to Amtrak in June with his Republican colleagues on the committee. They asked about Amtrak’s plans to reinstate long-distance service and the data used to make these decisions.
“Although we support Amtrak’s efforts to use resources efficiently and responsibly, particularly in response to COVID-19,” the letter reads, “we would like to ensure that reductions do not unnecessarily extend beyond the COVID-19 crisis.”
Since May, long-distance service has provided the majority of Amtrak’s total revenue, and since the pandemic began, these trains have contributed half of Amtrak’s total revenue. While long-distance services provide half of Amtrak’s revenues, local communities and economies continue to suffer. Weekly reservation data also shows many long-distance trains routinely sell out in sleepers, coaches, or both—more than other Amtrak segments. It is unclear how Amtrak will adapt to this steady demand with the recent cuts.
A potential source of funding to restore rail service could be a federal infrastructure bill. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, noted that long-distance rail enjoys support across the political spectrum, which makes it a good investment for an infrastructure bill. Long-distance train service like the Empire Builder is an important economic asset to Tester’s home state of Montana.
“We do have some bipartisan support for rail in the Senate to continue to put pressure on Amtrak after the election, regardless of the outcome, to make sure we maintain rail service,” Tester told Missoula County commissioners in October. “We’ve got to get it to a point to get a commitment after the pandemic.”