Amtrak temporarily drops its vaccine mandate
Amtrak has temporarily dropped its mandate for all employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, a requirement that the rail service had said would likely result in cuts to service. As a result, Amtrak no longer plans to cut service next month. A memo from Amtrak CEO William J. Flynn states the agency would allow employees to opt into weekly testing instead of receiving a vaccine, reverting back to a previous policy. About 97 percent of Amtrak’s employees have either received a shot or an accommodation providing an exemption. [nytimes.com]
MTA and Amtrak advance transit expansion plan
Two rail projects considered key components of the planned transformation of the New York area’s commuting landscape have received a boost with an agreement between Amtrak and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Both sides credited Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for getting a $30 billion federal rail account included in the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill and for leveraging that to broker an agreement on advancing the Penn Access and East River tunnels projects. [apnews.com]
Feds give Amtrak station hub plan a $10B boost
Rail passengers traveling into and out of Detroit, Michigan, via Amtrak could see a new train station rise in the city’s New Center area in coming years. A newly announced $10 million federal grant will help fund the Michigan Department of Transportation’s longtime goal of building a new train station. The station would join together rail, buses, taxi and ride-hailing services, and other modes of transportation in a centralized hub. The Detroit New Center Intermodal Facility would be built at the current train station. Approximately $57 million will be needed to complete the project. [governing.com]
Amtrak shows growth in 2021 despite Covid-19
Amtrak successfully advanced its Covid-19 recovery efforts throughout its 50th Anniversary fiscal year, through continued safety measures, increased train service levels, and continued modernization and growth. Key developments included Amtrak’s largest order for new trains in decades, the opening of new stations, the addition of new services and amenities, and proposals for new service in up to 160 communities. [masstransitmag.com]
