The Surface Transportation Board said it’s going to look into why Amtrak’s Sunset Limited passenger train service is liable to delays.
The investigation was triggered because Amtrak trains on the Sunset Limited service, which runs between Recent Orleans and Los Angeles, haven’t met on-time performance standards for 2 consecutive quarters, per section 213 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Ac (PRIIA) of 2008, in response to the board’s decision. The on-time performance standard calls for arrivals to be on time at the least 80% of the time, on average.
There will probably be at the least one phase within the investigation, STB said Tuesday. This phase will consist of STB looking into whether Amtrak’s delays or inability to fulfill the on-time performance metric were due to a rail carrier’s failure to offer preference to Amtrak over freight transportation as required by law. A second phase, which is able to rely on the end result of the primary phase, would have a look at the right way to assess damages or provide relief.
This investigation can be the primary proceeding that the board is undergoing per the PRIIA that appears at whether a rail carrier is contributing to delays on Amtrak’s network. Although the on-time performance standards were a part of the 2008 PRIIA Act, they were in legal limbo for several years since the rail carriers questioned within the courts how much input Amtrak must have in crafting the on-time performance standards.
“Today’s unanimous decision reflects the Board’s serious commitment to fulfilling its Congressionally-established duties under PRIIA to adjudicate disputes over passenger rail on-time performance,” STB Chairman Marty Oberman said in an announcement. “The investigation that we’re initiating today is the primary of its kind. It involves a big Board-led component in addition to party-led discovery. This framework will be sure that the Board has the knowledge it needs to meet its mandate to implement the preference standards and ensure reliable on-time performance for passenger rail.”
Amtrak had asked STB last December to initiate an investigation into why the Sunset Limited service is liable to delays. The route of the Sunset Limited travels mostly over Union Pacific’s (NYSE: UNP) network.
In filings to the board, Amtrak has argued that UP doesn’t utilize enough longer sidings that may accommodate UP’s trains, and because of this, Amtrak’s trains get stuck waiting for UP’s trains. Amtrak has also said UP doesn’t account for the impact that UP’s crew changes may need on Amtrak’s service.
Meanwhile, UP has said the schedule for Amtrak’s Sunset Limited service doesn’t align with the on-time performance standards arrange within the federal metrics.
In response to STB’s decision, Amtrak said: “On behalf of our Amtrak passengers affected by the chronic delays on host railroads, Amtrak is pleased by the Surface Transportation Board’s motion to research the substandard on-time performance and freight train interference described in our grievance regarding Sunset Limited service. Amtrak believes vigorous STB oversight is essential to enhance Amtrak reliability on routes operated over host railroads.”
The Sunset Limited service runs three days every week between Recent Orleans and Los Angeles, passing through Houston, San Antonio and Tucson, Arizona.
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