Blue Marble Travel
Service Attendant
I'm there in the trenches with you, jls.It may be a good idea to ask a pointed question about this matter to Amtrak bosses when a chance presents itself next, and see what they have to say. Specifically it might be worth asking them why they believe Amtrak is less safe than Greyhound and the airlines, and what are their plans to improve safety to make it as safe as Greyhound and the airlines, so as to allow 15 year olds to travel again, and see what they have to say.Somebody at Amtrak had a bug up their butt about this, they gathered a bunch of suits around some conference table, banged their little heads together for a couple of hours, and came up with this nonsense. Why? Because they are in charge. Airlines say a 15 year old is perfectly able and welcome to travel anywhere by themselves, including making connections if needed at ORD, ATL, DFW or other large, confusing airports. Amtrak says, "Go home kid, your not welcome here", after over 40 years of permitting travel by kids that same age with no incidents.
I wonder how many of the suits who butted their heads together to come up with this are now not suits at Amtrak anymore too.
BTW I found this blog that aligns quite a bit with my opinion on this matter. The Animal House style double speak from Amtrak is quite interesting too.
OK, I guess now it is time for me to duck, since of all the sites discussing this matter this one is the most pro-Amtrak management on this matter that I have come across.
At the time that the policy was hardened, I read several interviews with Amtrak bosses. The common thread was, "no particular incident lead to this, it just seemed the right thing to do." Read: "we have a monopoly, we'll get paid even if we alienate clients, we exist essentially for the convenience and well-being of our employees."