Two Amtrak Stations Losing Staffing

[Viewliner]

Two Amtrak stations to lose staffing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Amtrak stations at Tallahassee, Fla., and Mobile, Ala., will lose staff as of Thursday, April 22, and Friday, April 23, respectively. The stations host Amtrak trains 1 and 2, the transcontinental Sunset Limited, operating between Orlando, Fla., and Los Angeles via Jacksonville, Fla.; New Orleans; Houston; San Antonio; El Paso; and Tucson, Ariz.

To view the rest of the article from today's Trains Newswire, Click Here.

This certainly is a step in the wrong direction, but I guess its necessary. Too bad.

 

[battalion51]

Interesting. When I was in Tallahassee in September it wasn't staffed. :lol: Wonder if it got its staffing back, and is now losing it again?

 

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Dumb idea to unstaff stations :angry:

 

[battalion51]

I was talking with an agent one time about this phenomenon. At stations like Tallahassee with low boardings and only one train a day, that one person for 8 hours (or more) per day is an expensive commodity. For any business your employees are usually your single largest expenditure. If a station isn't bringing in the income to justify that employee you're better off without them from Management's perspective. Obviously I'll always say it's better to have a real agent, but if losing an agent means some on board commodities (including coach attendants) are retained, then I understand.

 

[tp49]

From a business sense I completely agree with b51, the expense here probably outweighs the benefit depending on the number of boardings for that one train. As long as (at least in the case of Mobile) they can get someone to open and lock the waiting room then this isn't as bad as it probably looks.

 

[battalion51]

Amtrak will employ part time caretakers to open up the station just before the trains arrival. Maybe I'll see if I can pull some strings to get that job while I'm at FSU in a few years. B)

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Well, as already pointed out, at least part-time local people will open amd close the stations at appropriate times. (ungodly hours in Mobile, if on time)

Just makes me wonder, though, if the Sunset's legendary lateness had something to do with difficulty of maintaining regular employees on predictable work shifts.