A New Jersey congressmember said he wants Amtrak and NJ Transit to issue refunds to riders when their travels on the public transit systems get disrupted.
Frequent delays and suspended service have left thousands of riders in the New York City area stranded over the last several months. One of the most recent incidents resulted in an hourslong suspension of service between the city and New Haven due to a broken track.
Speaking to the media on Monday, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer said it was time for Amtrak to invest billions of dollars in addressing maintenance issues.
“These delays and cancellations are a headache for commuters, a real obstacle for our transit system and frankly, a drain on our entire state,” he said.
Gottheimer introduced the All Aboard Act, which includes a “Rail Passenger Bill of Rights” to guarantee refunds for riders facing transit disruptions. If passed, the bill would change what he called Amtrak’s “run to fail” strategy and instead require the rail service to make proactive investments in its infrastructure before significant problems arise.
The congressmember said 657 NJ Transit trains were canceled in June, with 415 of them credited to Amtrak. Without Amtrak’s issues, 92.3% of its trains would maintain punctuality, according to a press release from Gottheimer’s office.
Several of the transit meltdowns have been attributed to back-to-back heat waves and record-high temperatures over the summer. That’s led climate and urban planning experts as well as elected officials to demand more from transportation leaders.
Gottheimer also called on Amtrak to deploy $6 billion in federal investments that Congress allocated for maintenance on the rail service’s Northeast Corridor. His office said it’s a major source of recent transit issues.
The lawmaker added that he would meet with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to push his plan.
“Delays and cancellations seem to be inevitable, but they shouldn’t be,” said Gottheimer. “Not for what we pay in taxes or for the cost of a train ticket. It’s expensive.”
Representatives from NJ Transit and Amtrak did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.