AASHTO Journal - Amtrak Survey Finds ‘Strong Support’ for Passenger Rail

Results from a survey commissioned by Amtrak indicates there is “strong support from American voters” for continued passenger rail investments, including infrastructure renewal and train service expansion.

[Above photo by Amtrak]

Conducted by the Mellman Group and commissioned by Amtrak to better understand America’s interest in intercity passenger rail service, the survey findings show “consistent support” for passenger rail across geographic location, age, race, and gender.

[Editor’s note: An executive summary of that survey – which polled 1,000 registered U.S. voters – can be viewed by clicking here.]

“These survey results confirm Amtrak is on the right path with our commitment to deliver a new era of rail for America,” noted Amtrak President Roger Harris in a statement.

“The country has spoken – strengthening our nation’s intercity passenger rail network is an important priority,” he said.

Survey highlights include:

92 percent of respondents say it’s “important” for the United States to invest in passenger rail safety and service improvements;
86 percent of respondents believe in the importance of a strong American passenger rail system;
83 percent of respondents support passenger rail investments identified by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA – such as modern trains, aging tunnel and bridge replacements, new routes, etc.; and
81 percent of respondents want their state to invest in bringing more passenger rail service to their local area.

“Americans are rooting for passenger rail to further enhance mobility, invest in communities and strengthen connections across the United States,” said Nicole Bucich, Amtrak’s vice president of network development.

“With strong support from every region in the country, Amtrak is working closely with our various state and host railroad partners to meet the many demands for train travel,” she added.

In related news, Amtrak is holding a public meeting – available for both in-person and online attendance – on August 30 to elicit feedback on ways to improve its long-distance train ridership experience for customers with mobility disabilities.