Amtrak Faces Accessibility Challenges Amid OIG Report Findings

Amtrak must urgently improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities, as highlighted in a recent OIG report revealing major gaps in strategy, data use, and service quality across its operations. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The review shows Amtrak lacks a unified approach. Various initiatives exist, but they remain fragmented and poorly coordinated. While the company tracks complaints, it does so inconsistently, and rarely examines surveys or ridership data for accessibility trends.

OIG warned that without a data-driven plan with goals and priorities, Amtrak risks legal, financial, and reputational damage. A structured strategy would ensure resources deliver the greatest impact on passenger experience and compliance.

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Amtrak has strengthened ties with advocacy groups. Half of nine organizations interviewed reported good relationships, and six consider rail travel preferable to airlines for disabled passengers. New technology projects aim to support assistive listening devices.

However, the Accessibility Office is not consistently involved in key projects. Departments often act alone. For example, the Digital Technology team updated the mobile app without consulting the office, making some features inaccessible to blind users.

The audit reviewed booking through deboarding and highlighted three areas needing urgent improvement:

Employee Interactions with Amtrak Passengers

Staff assistance was lacking during navigation, boarding, and deboarding. About 39% of complaints mentioned poor support, and 22% cited insensitive behavior. Staff also failed to enforce seating policies designed for passengers with disabilities.

Amtrak Communication and Onboard Access

Travel information remains unclear. Passengers struggle to request station assistance, and accessibility details are hard to find online. Audio and visual messaging varies across stations. Mobility device users also face challenges accessing café cars despite existing policies.

The OIG recommended creating a comprehensive accessibility strategy, improving complaint tracking, and making better use of data. It also urged clear processes to enhance staff training, communication, and onboard access.

Amtrak agreed with all recommendations and announced plans for changes. However, full improvements may not occur until new train fleets enter service in the coming years.

Source: railway-news.com

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