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Senator Makes Amtrak Hire Ticket Agents Because 30% of West Virginia Lacks Internet

posted by janrinok on Sunday June 10 2018, @08:55AM   Printer-friendly
from the sensible dept.

McGruber writes:

Joe Manchin, the senior Senator from West Virginia, has inserted language in the FY19 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill that will force Amtrak to employ at least one ticketing agent in every state that it serves.

His reasoning? "Amtrak has told me that most of their sales are now online, but West Virginians buy far more tickets at the Charleston station than most places around the country. That's not surprising, as nearly 30% of West Virginia is without internet access, and mobile broadband access is also difficult in my state's rugged, mountainous terrain, making online ticket sales difficult."

Source: https://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-secures-language-to-ensure-amtrak-ticket-agent-in-west-virginia

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  • (Score: 2) by linuxrocks123 on Sunday June 10 2018, @09:57AM (1 child)

    by linuxrocks123 (2557) on Sunday June 10 2018, @09:57AM (#691066) Journal

    Amtrak tickets are dramatically cheaper at the station.

    I never knew that, I rode Amtrak for many years, and I have a friend who used to work at Amtrak whom I think would have told me about a price difference in online versus station sales if he knew about it. Can you elaborate on this and provide some examples?

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  • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday June 10 2018, @10:04AM

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Sunday June 10 2018, @10:04AM (#691067) Homepage Journal

    I don't recall what the online ticket price but it was something like $150. The station agent reserved a seat for me, then I was able to pay the next day when an EFT arrived. That ticket was $80.

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