The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published a final rule establishing metrics and a minimum standard to measure Amtrak intercity passenger train operations.
The rule addresses on-time performance and train delays, customer service, financial and public benefits, requiring Amtrak and its host railroads to certify schedules while setting an on-time performance minimum standard of 80 percent for any two consecutive calendar quarters.
“This final rule is a major accomplishment for this Administration and a huge victory for the traveling public,” Administrator Ronald L. Batory said. “When I personally met with the leaders of Amtrak and the nation’s largest freight railroads earlier this year, I impressed upon them the need for the traveling public to have reliable passenger rail service and the Administration’s final rule reflects a commitment to improving Amtrak’s performance in the modern-day freight rail environment.”
The final rule provides customers, Amtrak, the host railroads, and other stakeholders with a method to gauge Amtrak trains objectively.
“Everyone relying on one standard means that when problems arise, we can all speak the same language to work toward a common goal,” Batory said. “There are a lot of voices and perspectives in this conversation. We’ve listened and worked diligently to create the best solution for all.”
After issuing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in March, the FRA hosted a telephonic hearing on April 30 and received more than 320 written comments in response to the proposed rulemaking.