Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner stepped down amid rising political pressure, just as the railroad posted record ridership and ...

The president's DOGE Czar Elon Musk misses the real problem with Amtrak and passenger rail: freight monopolies.

Amtrak has argued against privatization. Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes talks to transportation analyst Seth Kaplan about Amtrak's finances and ridership and the pros and cons of privatization.

But at a tech conference earlier this month, Trump ally and Department of Governmental Efficiency head Elon Musk called Amtrak “a sad situation,” compared to other country’s train systems.

Last week, Amtrak was all over the headlines due to Elon Musk's privatization comments. In response, Amtrak was applauded for its simple statement on social media, taking the high road.

Amtrak, for its part, responded to calls for privatization, pushing back on the assertion that it would lead to better efficiency or lower costs. “A private entity would face the same ...

Musk, meanwhile, has "mused about the privatization of Amtrak, claiming that the railroad's service pales in comparison to the high-speed rail systems in other countries," said Bloomberg.

It also noted Amtrak set all-time records in ridership and revenue in fiscal 2024 with higher ridership levels than before COVID-19. “As Stephen departs today, we thank him for his 16 years of ...

Strauss says he doesn’t believe privatization is right for Amtrak due to a history of unprofitability. “In the 1970s, the freight railroads got out of the passenger rail business because they ...

Amtrak also released a paper arguing against privatization. 'It is not clear what problem Amtrak privatization proposals are intended to solve,' the white paper read. 'Despite inadequate ...