Amtrak, the passenger railroad agency, said that it will furlough over 2,000 workers in the coming weeks because of a steep decline in ridership and revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the New York Times reported. The job cuts represent nearly 10 percent of Amtrak’s roughly 20,000-member work force and will take effect as the agency begins its new fiscal year, which starts in October. The rail agency will cut 1,950 workers from its unionized work force and 100 employees from its management ranks. Cuts among union jobs could increase or decrease by 2 percent, officials noted in an internal email. The reductions come as Amtrak’s response to historic fiscal challenges receives scrutiny from rail advocates and federal lawmakers. Critics say that the agency should focus less on cuts to its work force and declines in service and instead ensure the rail network operates close to normal at a time when it is seen as an attractive alternative to air travel. In some areas of the U.S., Amtrak provides the lone mode of public transportation, rail advocates say. Since March, ridership on Amtrak has fallen by 95 percent, and projected revenue for 2021 has declined by 50 percent. In response, Congress has bailed out the rail network with nearly $1 billion in emergency funds. But William J. Flynn, Amtrak’s chief executive, has asked lawmakers for an additional $1.4 billion in emergency funds, predicting revenue and ridership will continue to remain low into 2021.
