by gokeefe
This type of policy change is fundamentally about preservation of capacity and improving revenue yield. I think it's very important for Amtrak to preserve the value of their higher fare tiers.
There are many things that more money can't solve. But in a government agency, especially a capital intensive one like Amtrak, improved operations that produce more money do in fact solve problems.
It can solve political problems around funding levels and capital investments. And perhaps most importantly it can make new programs (or in Amtrak's case services) more feasible.
Amtrak doesn't merely return profits to shareholders through stock buybacks or dividends and all of the executives make public sector salaries. This means that policies which increase revenues are in fact likely to result in more (or better) trains.
There are many things that more money can't solve. But in a government agency, especially a capital intensive one like Amtrak, improved operations that produce more money do in fact solve problems.
It can solve political problems around funding levels and capital investments. And perhaps most importantly it can make new programs (or in Amtrak's case services) more feasible.
Amtrak doesn't merely return profits to shareholders through stock buybacks or dividends and all of the executives make public sector salaries. This means that policies which increase revenues are in fact likely to result in more (or better) trains.
gokeefe