Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner announced he was stepping down three years after taking the top position at the passenger railroad. Amtrak has not named a successor.

“I am stepping down as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration,” Gardner wrote. “I am so proud of what the Amtrak team has accomplished to bring passenger rail service to more people and places across the country over these past 16 years, and I thank the Board for their trust and support. We did a lot together to make Amtrak safer, more modern, and a better travel experience for all our customers. From my start as an Amtrak intern back in the 1990s to ending as CEO, it has been my honor and privilege to lead this great American company, and I wish Amtrak every success. See you on the rails.”

Gardner’s career in transportation began after college as a conductor and operations manager on Maine Central (then operated by Guilford Transporation). In 2001, he interned with the House Transporation Subcommittee on Railroads, and later worked as a staffer and legislative assistance for the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. He joined Amtrak in 2009, promoted to Chief Operating and Commercial Officer in 2019, and named President in 2020. He became Amtrak’s latest CEO in 2022, and Roger Harris took on the role of President later that year.

This is a developing news story and will be updated when additional information becomes available. —Justin Franz