Articles tagged “amtrak”

The years of infrastructure week memes are finally over with President Biden's $2 trillion proposal to upgrade and green America's infrastructure. But with battle lines already forming, can he get the package over the line in Congress?

Amtrak had been on track to notch its first operating profit in its 50 years. But the not-so-novel-anymore coronavirus has dashed the hopes of the U.S. national passenger rail system. President-elect Joe Biden is a fan of Amtrak but might have limited options to ride to the rescue.

The travel industry needed a new reason to believe after months of enduring the body blows from coronavirus, coming on top of four bizarro years of a president who seemed to have little regard for his former industry. Read what executives had to say about the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Amtrak wanted to break even this year on an operating basis. That was a nice goal, but it was all academic. Amtrak is the U.S. national railway, and the government will do what it must to keep it running.

Richard Anderson deserves kudos for having helped to revitalize Amtrak in his three years as CEO. The former Delta Air Lines top boss put the U.S. railway operator on track to its first-ever operating profit while also improving its safety record.

Former Delta CEO Richard Anderson has been spearheading a revamp of the U.S. national railway through boosting safety, driving more profits from its co-branded credit card, and creating a mix of more low-cost and premium services in the U.S. northeastern corridor. Anderson's tricky balance is being ambitious while trimming longstanding losses.

Other global rail companies are speeding ahead of Amtrak in reducing single-use plastics, but Amtrak is trying to make up the time.

Amtrak's modernization effort is underway. If it remains nimble, it can take advantage of shifts in consumer behavior as car ownership declines and travelers look to avoid the headache of heading to the airport for a short flight.

Travel brands are beginning to embrace the principles of human-centered design to rethink the way they develop products and experiences. But where does loyalty fit into the equation? Empathy and giving the customer a seat at the table is a great place to start.

Amtrak needed someone to come in and run it like a private business. Former Delta CEO Richard Anderson was probably the right choice. He knows how to turn things around, even if he may ruffle a few feathers along the way.