The Conservative Cave
Current Events => Politics => Topic started by: Chris_ on August 04, 2012, 06:21:39 PM
-
Make-Work Jobs and $16 Hamburgers at Amtrak
At a congressional hearing yesterday, we learned that the agency's on-board, microwave-in-bag hamburgers cost $16 to serve, even though the agency only charges travelers $9.50 to buy one.
The purpose of the hearing was to examine why Amtrak's food service operations have lost $800 million over the last 10 years. The answer is, apparently, that it costs Amtrak a ton of money to serve food that is mostly pretty terrible.
Bloomberg News (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-03/make-work-jobs-and-16-hamburgers-at-amtrak.html)
Time to shut down Amtrak.
-
Amtrak had caught teh ghey fever.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/amtrak-ride-with-pride-campaign_n_1728817.html
Amtrak 'Ride With Pride' Campaign Releases Two Gay-Friendly New Ads (PHOTOS)
-
Hmmm...ride C&J bus for $150 R/T from here to NYC, pay $100 in gas and tolls to drive down there, or pay $500 to ride the train.
Decisions, decisions....
-
Hmmm...ride C&J bus for $150 R/T from here to NYC, pay $100 in gas and tolls to drive down there, or pay $500 to ride the train.
Decisions, decisions....
C&J has a bus that drives to New York?? since when??
-
C&J has a bus that drives to New York?? since when??
Over a year now.
http://www.ridecj.com/nyc.html
-
Twelve bucks. Wow, not bad.
-
Over a year now.
http://www.ridecj.com/nyc.html
Oh wow..That is good to know....
-
Bloomberg News (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-03/make-work-jobs-and-16-hamburgers-at-amtrak.html)
Time to shut down Amtrak.
Hi,
If Amtrak were a private business it would be profitable. It is like any public transportation system, whether it is a bus system, whatever. The unions are in control, they funnel money to the democrat party for protection, and they make it impossible to make a profit. The problem is not selling a microwave hamburger for $9.50, it is the fact it costs $16 to begin with. When one has no competition, this stuff happens. They probably are forced to buy them from some union shop, much like the union forced teachers in Wisconsin to buy their medical insurance through the union insurance company. When it got bid in the open market, it became pretty clear the taxpayers were getting gouged beyond belief by the insurance company.
If you ever looked into taking Amtrak, their fares are outta sight. Every time they are losing money, they raise fares, which in turn causes them to lose customers.
After Hurricane Katrina, they stopped using the rails between Jacksonville and New Orleans. Try booking Amtrack from Florida to AZ and you have to go through DC or Chicago. They have no concern for marketing or common sense. I fear our health care will follow the same path as the post office and Amtrak has done.
Turn it over to a private company, let them declare bankruptcy to get out from under all the union contracts, work rules and pensions garbage and they would likely do well.
regards,
5412
-
Bloomberg News (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-03/make-work-jobs-and-16-hamburgers-at-amtrak.html)
Time to shut down Amtrak.
Imagine the jobs that could be created if the rail roads were allowed to go back into competition for passengers and not just freight.
-
Imagine the jobs that could be created if the rail roads were allowed to go back into competition for passengers and not just freight.
But that's the whole point--they AREN'T competitive, and passenger rail has been pretty much dead since the Eisenhower administration and the construction of the Interstate Highway System.
Throw the volume of commercial air travel in with that, and it's a double-doom scenario for the rail system.
-
But that's the whole point--they AREN'T competitive, and passenger rail has been pretty much dead since the Eisenhower administration and the construction of the Interstate Highway System.
Throw the volume of commercial air travel in with that, and it's a double-doom scenario for the rail system.
*shrugs*...possibly...but I still think there would be some profit in it on a small scale for the bigger RR's like Santa Fe and Southern Pacific.
-
Amtrak was never very big where I grew up (in the Pacific North-Wet), but the Washington State Ferry service is just as bad, and for the same Union thug reason(s).