Amtrak worker bonuses are headed to more than 18,000 employees, with a one-time $900 payment due before the end of the year.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

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Photo: Amtrak

The U.S. Department of Transportation laid out the plan Thursday evening, as reported by AP News, and said the money will come from changes to Amtrak’s executive leadership team bonus packages.

Funding for Amtrak worker bonuses

According to the statement, the federal administration urged Amtrak’s executive leadership “to forgo 50% of the bonus packages that would have been paid out under the misplaced priorities of the previous executive bonus structure.” In the DOT’s telling, those foregone amounts will fund the $900 payments for 18,000 Amtrak workers, redirecting end-of-year bonuses from executives to front-line employees.

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Amtrak’s 2025 ridership and ticket revenue records

The decision follows a banner fiscal 2025 for the passenger railroad. Amtrak’s annual report said it set all-time highs for both ridership and revenue, posting more than $2.7 billion in ticket revenue from 34.5 million riders—figures also reflected in Amtrak: A Year of Records.

Union response and a separate federal bonus dispute

Some unions representing train workers welcomed the change. Mark Wallace, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National union, said end-of-year bonuses will now go to 18,000 front-line workers rather than being limited to executive ranks, calling it overdue recognition for the employees who keep the railroad running.

The announcement comes as controversy continues over the Trump administration’s decision during the government shutdown to limit $10,000 bonuses to air traffic controllers and technicians who had perfect attendance. That policy rewarded 776 people and left nearly 20,000 other workers without the payment.

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