Maine Pushing for Surcharge on NH Tickets

[Viewliner]

Maine bill pushes surcharge on New Hampshire Amtrak riders
AUGUSTA, Maine – Unable to persuade some of their counterparts in their neighboring state to subsidize the existing Amtrak “Downeaster” passenger service between Portland, Maine, and Boston, Mass., Maine lawmakers are being asked to consider a surcharge on Downeaster tickets sold in New Hampshire, according to a story in Foster’s Daily Democrat of Dover, N.H., and published on its Fosters.com website. The fees would be combined with voluntary subsidy payments from Maine.

The rest of the article from Trains Newswire can be found here.

I personally don't want to see this happen, I agree that New Hampshire should kick in, but a surcharge will only create a negative effect. The surcharge will turn people off and reduce ridership (even if it may be slight).

Bottom line, New Hampshire needs to find something to fund the Downeaster, its been a HUGE success, lets keep it in motion.

 

[battalion51]

I wonder if Vermont would follow suit with a surcharge on Vermonter tickets.