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AMTRAK Objects To Losing VRE Contract

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Riley

AMTRAK is objecting to losing their contract to run the Virginia Railway Express.  Now get this — they are objecting on grounds that the winner does not have any experience operating a train system in the U.S.

Let me repeat that, they are objecting because the winner has no experience running trains in the U.S.

By that definition, only AMTRAK could be awarded this contract since they have a government monopoly on passenger train service.  And we all know just how cost efficient AMTRAK is.

The winning bidder, Keolis

employs more than 40,000 people and operates bus, trolley and train service in France and several other European counties. It operates more than 5,000 trains a day and moves 360 million passengers a year. Its parent company is SNCF, which operates high-speed rail service in France.

I’d say those are pretty solid qualifications.

Filed under: AMTRAK, Transportation, VRE, Virginia Politics

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4 Responses

  1. bob dobbs, on November 1st, 2009 at 11:28 am Said:

    Pardon me, but your facts are incorrect because you are confusing intercity passenger service with commuter operations. There are several other companies in the US that operate commuter rail projects – Bombardier, Herzog, Veolia/Connex. Keolis has no experience operating trains under US federal regulations and now expects to be up and running one of the busiest systems int he US by June? Color me skeptical.

  2. Roger rhymes, on November 1st, 2009 at 11:33 am Said:

    Keolis is owned by SNCF — which is owned by the French government. So now my tax dollars are going to be shipped overseas to FRANCE? At least we have a say over what happens over at Amtrak — why would we give our tax dollars to the french government?

  3. Riley, on November 1st, 2009 at 6:17 pm Said:

    You seriously think that we have a say over what happens at Amtrak? You must be joking. If we did, then 2/3 of Amtrak routes would be cancelled since they are chronic money losers and it would be cheaper to buy the passengers a plane ticket and GIVE it to them than it is to subsidize those route.

  4. Steve Albertson, on November 2nd, 2009 at 11:36 am Said:

    If Amtrak is the “experienced” choice then, judging by Amtrak’s own performance, I think inexperience is probably a positive factor.

    Keolis runs trains well. Amtrak doesn’t. VRE made a good choice to not continue to reward aggressive and persistent mediocrity.

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