USA Today Article on LD Service Cutbacks

[20th Century Rider]

I'm really starting to feel uncomfortable with the continuously widening comments on a sensitive issue... and certainly there are significant problems going on in this country regarding justice and equal rights. Amtrak serves many ethnic minorities as well as all others. Cut Bank and Browning EB stops predominantly serve Native Americans living there... also being effected by the service cuts.

Suffice it to say that Amtrak is a public transportation service for all ethnic and socioeconomic groups... and a strong rail service is good for all of us. The real issue is governmental support of sustainable and environmentally friendly public transportation serving all groups. The officials we elect need to be there for us!

 

[Asher]

This whole article IMHO, besides pointing out the cutback. Because of population numbers, it probably will affect black folk. It also added a human interest story about the great migration of black people in the South using rail transportation to move North, it was just an article in the paper. I found it interesting.

 

[west point]

I believe that the cut backs will have an affect on all low income persons not just blacks.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I believe that the cut backs will have an affect on all low income persons not just blacks.

It is the responsibility of the government to serve all races, creeds, genders, as well as the rich and the poor. By cutting back on Amtrak service, it is a disservice for all of us. It is the government that is in question.

 

[neroden]

I agree, though I'd be curious how much of the increased ridership per capita from African Americans is simply a reflection of existing income disparities. If we normalize for income, would we still see that larger per capita ridership, or is it more a proxy that Amtrak ridership, especially coach ridership, leans towards lower-income households generally?

I would not be surprised if part of it is the infamous "Driving While Black" phenomenon where African-Americans get disproportionately harassed by bad police while driving. A motivation to catch the train instead of driving long distances through jurisdictions where they have no idea how corrupt the police are...