RailNews

Amtrak and MBTA at odds

Amtrak has threatened to cut service to Boston because of late payments from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to a report in the Boston Globe. The MBTA filed suit against Amtrak, claiming it was in violation of pre-existing agreements when the national carrier requested nearly $30 million for maintenance and other services it provides. In return, Amtrak claims MBTA is in violation for refusing to pay the additional amount.

“MBTA’s refusal to honor its contractual payment obligations has resulted in financial harm to Amtrak, which could potentially jeopardize Amtrak’s ability to provide rail service in Massachusetts,” Amtrak officials said in a filing this week. “Amtrak depends on timely payments from MBTA for services rendered to ensure its financial stability, fund its operations, and provide service to rail customers traveling to and from Massachusetts.”

“The MBTA has absolutely no reason to believe there would be a disruption in service for Amtrak customers in Massachusetts,” Joe Pesaturo, a spokesman for the MBTA. “The MBTA continues to maintain it owes Amtrak nothing for the Northeast Corridor work in Massachusetts.”

In the filing this week, Amtrak claims that the MBTA is violating the Attleboro agreement by refusing to reimburse Amtrak for some additional engineering, maintenance, design, flagging, and construction services that it says it is owed. In the filing, Amtrak says the agreement allows the MBTA to request some maintenance services from Amtrak for a cost. The MBTA owes Amtrak at least $175,106.27 in unpaid, past-due invoices plus interest, Amtrak officials said in the filing.

Pesaturo was dismissive of that claim, saying that Amtrak’s invoices to the MBTA often “lack many details, but include charges for work that was never authorized nor requested.” The agency claims proper documentation has not been provided for any past-due invoices issued by Amtrak.

Boston is Amtrak’s sixth-busiest station nationwide, with more than 1.5 million riders in 2015.

—Passenger Train Journal

This article was posted on: August 29, 2016