Should Grand Rapids & Holland MI be staffed

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Should Grand Rapids & Holland MI be staffed

  • 1.Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 2.No

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
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S

Save Our Trains Michigan

Conductor
Joined
Jun 19, 2003
Messages
1,805
Location
Harrison Michigan
I started this poll to see how many people would like to see the Grand Rapids & Holland Stations have Ticket Agents.Since there was a 22% Ridership Increase on the Pere Marquette Train which runs from Grand Rapids to CHI.
 
I'm curious about something. As a Michigan Amtrak employee why would a BNSF conductor from Louisiana focus so much on Amtrak in Michigan?

By the way, sure i'd like to see those stations staffed but it will never happen. They have whacked so much the pool of extra employees has dwindled to nothing, and any additional staffing will cause Amtrak to hire new employees, especially after the re-staffing of LNS/FLN/ and eventually PTH. Those stations(HOM/GRR) have never had staffing and the people there are used to buying their tickets onboard or through the Quik-Trak machines. I guess I could eventually see a station like HMI ticketing the advance pay tkts for that line, and handing them to the conductor when the train stops there, giving the riders another option of paying for their tickets. Funny, now that I think about it i'm surprised it hasn't happened already.
 
BNSF_1088 lived in Michigan for many years, and is friends with many of the Amtrak Employees in Michigan. He wants to get back to Michigan, but his assignment in Lousiana is prohibitng that at this point.
 
Employee said:
I'm curious about something. As a Michigan Amtrak employee why would a BNSF conductor from Louisiana focus so much on Amtrak in Michigan?
By the way, sure i'd like to see those stations staffed but it will never happen. They have whacked so much the pool of extra employees has dwindled to nothing, and any additional staffing will cause Amtrak to hire new employees, especially after the re-staffing of LNS/FLN/ and eventually PTH. Those stations(HOM/GRR) have never had staffing and the people there are used to buying their tickets onboard or through the Quik-Trak machines. I guess I could eventually see a station like HMI ticketing the advance pay tkts for that line, and handing them to the conductor when the train stops there, giving the riders another option of paying for their tickets. Funny, now that I think about it i'm surprised it hasn't happened already.
Click to expand...
Also I am the Leader of Save Our Trains Michigan. :)

Also what craft do you work for?
 
Well, I am going to vote yes and no. Simply going off of city size, Grand Rapids should have a full time agent. However I don't know if Holland could justify the cost in ridership. So i voted yes
 
amtrakmichigan said:
Well, I am going to vote yes and no. Simply going off of city size, Grand Rapids should have a full time agent. However I don't know if Holland could justify the cost in ridership. So i voted yes
Click to expand...
Here are the ridership stats.

2001: GRR-28,812, HOM-21,936

2002: GRR-30,500, HOM-21,923

2003: GRR-37,588, HOM-27,283
 
BNSF,

Just for comparision, do you know what the statistics are for Niles or Jackson? I bassed my comment only on city population and population of the the area. However a differece of about 10,000 is quite a bit.
 
amtrakmichigan said:
BNSF,
Just for comparision, do you know what the statistics are for Niles or Jackson? I bassed my comment only on city population and population of the the area. However a differece of about 10,000 is quite a bit.
Click to expand...
I will get that infomation when i get a chance i am a little swamped right now with evrey thing going on. :)
 
Also I am the Leader of Save Our Trains Michigan.
Click to expand...
Yep, I know who you are, I just didn't understand the southern connection.

4 extra employees, will turn into 3 with one going back to unboard status soon. 3 will turn into 2 with the staffing of PTH once the bidding process weaves it's way through, 2 extra employees will become zero when two guaranteed extra board jobs are added on for the summer. It's real tight with loads of overtime ot on the horizon just trying to cover vacations and personal days.
 
Amtrak Employee said:
Also I am the Leader of Save Our Trains Michigan.
Click to expand...
Yep, I know who you are, I just didn't understand the southern connection.

4 extra employees, will turn into 3 with one going back to unboard status soon. 3 will turn into 2 with the staffing of PTH once the bidding process weaves it's way through, 2 extra employees will become zero when two guaranteed extra board jobs are added on for the summer. It's real tight with loads of overtime ot on the horizon just trying to cover vacations and personal days.
Click to expand...
Hey thats allright :D
 
Oops, I wasn't paying attention to this poll. It's past its prime. So last chance to vote, before I pull the pin on it. :)
 
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