Amtrak in Dire Financial Straits, Seeking More Federal Relief Funding

Amtrak officials say they need $4.9 billion in funding to prevent service and job losses.

1 minute read

September 15, 2020, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Amtrak Train

John H Gray / Flickr

David Shepardson reports for Reuters on the financial state of Amtrak, where officials are asking Congress for $4.9 billion in additional funding to make ends meet during the pandemic. 

Amtrak Chief Executive William Flynn went before Congress earlier this month to to request the additional funding, warning that the intercity rail system could  face service and job cuts without the funding. Amtrak typically receives $2 billion in funding support from the U.S. government, according to Shepardson.

An earlier article by Pranshu Verma, written for The New York Times, also digs deeper into the pandemic context for Amtrak, comparing it to the U.S. Postal Service as a service provided by the government. 

"For Amtrak, the coronavirus pandemic has not only slashed ridership and any chances of breaking even, it has also forced its leaders to face an existential choice: act like a for-profit airline or a government-subsidized entity," writes Verma. 

Verma also provides more details on the specifics of the financial challenges facing Amtrak since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus earlier this year: "Since March, ridership on the national rail agency has fallen by 95 percent and projected revenue for 2021 has declined by 50 percent." 

As noted in booth articles, Congress has already sent $1 billion in emergency funds to Amtrak, but Amtrak has been asking for more assistance since May.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 in Reuters via St. Louis Post-Dispatch

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

4 hours ago - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

6 hours ago - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

6 hours ago - Missouri Independent