WASHINGTON – The Surface Transportation Board has created a passenger rail office that will be responsible for investigating and analyzing Amtrak on-time performance on host railroads.
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 authorizes the STB to investigate the causes of substandard passenger rail on-time performance, to identify mitigating measures, and, under specified conditions, to prescribe relief.
In late 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration, in conjunction with Amtrak, promulgated a “Customer OTP” metric to measure passenger rail on-time performance, with a minimum standard of 80% of passenger arrivals at stations to occur within 15 minutes of the scheduled time for any two consecutive calendar quarters.
Complaints may be brought by Amtrak, by an entity for which Amtrak operates intercity passenger rail service, by an intercity passenger rail operator, or by a host freight railroad over which Amtrak operates.
“The creation of the Office of Passenger Rail is the next step in a carefully planned strategy for the Board to meet its responsibility to investigate and enforce Amtrak on-time performance,” STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman said in a statement on Thursday. “The agency stands ready to handle any on-time performance cases that are filed. We are fully analyzing the quarterly data provided by the FRA, and we are developing a basis for determining whether any Board-initiated investigations may be necessary. The other Board members and I look forward to working closely with Amtrak and the freight railroads in the nation’s effort to improve its passenger rail system.”
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Amtrak said it “welcomes the Board’s enhanced focus on Amtrak on-time performance, an important issue for our service reliability and something our customers have a right to expect. We look forward to working closely with the STB’s new Office of Passenger Rail to enforce the FRA’s performance standards for intercity passenger rail.
“We will also participate on the STB’s new passenger rail advisory committee. This will provide an opportunity for issues to be elevated and resolved before they require an investigation.”
— Updated at 7:40 p.m. CDT with Amtrak statement.
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