Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner announced he would step down to address concerns from the Trump administration, stating, “I am resigning as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.”
Gardner reflected on his nearly 16-year tenure with Amtrack, citing achievements such as expanding passenger rail services and improving safety and customer experience.
The move comes as Elon Musk has proposed privatizing Amtrak, saying, “The logic is, anything that can be reasonably privatized needs to be privatized.” He also suggested privatizing the postal service.
In response, Amtrak released a five-page document outlining the potential benefits of privatization, including the ability to produce better services at lower costs.
A different view was expressed by advocates of public transportation, which they argue were more effective in reducing government spending.
Amtrak also pointed out that it has set a record for ridership and revenue in Fy24, with a higher ridership level than before Covid-19.
The Amtrak board thanked Gardner for his 16 years of service and wished him success, and expressed its commitment to working with the administration to build a world-class passenger rail system.
Throughout Trump’s first term, he attempted to cut back on Amtrak, while Biden invested $2.4 billion in the railroad project. It remains unclear if the second Republican Party will respond to Musk’s call to privatize public services to reduce government spending.
