All Aboard!
Happy New Year
Albert Einstein is reported to have said, “Learn
from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”
At Amtrak, we’ve been planning for tomorrow. As
we enter a new year, the blueprints we’ve created
take on the life we envisioned, translating to better
service for our passengers.
In the last year, we’ve greatly expanded the
on-board AmtrakConnectSM Wi-Fi we initially
o;ered on our high-speed Acela Express trains.
Currently, we are very pleased to o;er 75 percent
of all Amtrak passengers access to the popular
Wi-Fi service aboard our trains across the country. The service is a great addition to the list
of reasons an increasing number of people are
choosing to travel by train.
We’ve also begun an e Ticketing pilot program
on our Boston-Portland Downeaster service. We
expect to roll out e Ticketing across the nation
later this year, eliminating the need for you to
hold on to the traditional paper ticket, and making it easier to book and change reservations.
With this technology, you’ll be able to print a
document at home or pull up your reservation on
your smartphone for the conductor to scan using
a handheld device. These and other advancements contributed to our being ranked 150th in
the Information Week 500 list of the country’s
top technology innovators for 2011.
Less visible to you are other plans that lead
to better service. We’ve made investments
in our Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor
infrastructure that improve the reliability and
comfort of our service. And soon we’ll be starting work in Ne w Jersey that represents a first
step in advancing our plans for 220 mph next-generation high-speed rail. The popularity of our
Northeast Corridor service continues to grow,
earning Amtrak an increasingly larger share of
the rail/air travel market, accounting for 76 percent of the market bet ween New York and D.C.,
and 57 percent bet ween New York and Boston.
Our fleet plan is also taking shape this year,
as work begins on new equipment that we’re purchasing. We’ve ordered 70 new electric locomotives and 130 long-distance single-level coaches
that will enhance your travel experience, and
I look for ward to sharing more information
with you about this as the manufacturing process progresses.
We expect the improvements we’re making
will draw even more passengers this year, exceeding the all-time-high 30. 2 million passengers who
chose Amtrak last fiscal year.
In the meantime, please let our on-board
crews know if there’s anything we can do to
make your trip more enjoyable. We hope you’ll
join us again soon.
Sincerely,
JOSEPH H. BOARDMAN
President and Chief Executive O;cer
