Wilson Says Amtrak's Troubles Threaten NJ Transit Fares and Service
NJ Transportation Commissioner Frank Wilson said last week that Amtrak's financial troubles threaten NJ Transit fares and rail service. He said a plan being considered in Washington would boost commuter railroad payments for use of the Northeast corridor line. NJ Transit now pays Amtrak $47.5 million per year, a figure that could rise to $77.5 million under one variant of revised cost-sharing schemes under consideration in Congress. To make up an $60 million budget gap that Wilson said the State of NJ's Washington office had identified, Congress could charge each of six commuter rail systems that use the line $10 million each or levy additional fees based on usage. In the latter case, NJ Transit's heavy use of the line could mean $30 million in extra fees, on top of an expected federal transit operating assistance cut that could run as high as $15 million. Amtrak has long favored increasing commuter rail's share of the cost of operating and maintaining the Northeast Corridor line, though Amtrak spokespeople told the Star Ledger that they did not initiate recent discussions of the issue. The Interstate Commerce Commission agreement that allocates the corridor costs requires commuter rail lines to pay only those costs Amtrak would avoid if only its trains ran on the line. As we went to press, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign was unable to reach staffers in the offices of NY Congresswomen Susan Molinari and Sue Kelly, respectively chair and vice-chair of the House Railroad Subcommittee.
