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Virginia Railway Express board says Amtrak is interfering with transition to private operator Keolis; Board to consider legal options Date published: 5/22/2010
By KELLY HANNON The Virginia Railway Express Operations Board issued a rare public rebuke of Amtrak yesterday, claiming it is interfering with the commuter train system's ability to transfer operations to an Amtrak competitor by a June 28 deadline. The board directed VRE's attorney and CEO to review all possible options for action, ranging from filing a lawsuit to getting assistance from federal legislators and regulators. "We still believe we're going to make the transition on the 28th," said Stafford supervisor Paul Milde, chairman of VRE's Operations Board. "We also are certain, I am certain, Amtrak is trying to frustrate our efforts." Keolis Rail Services America bested Amtrak in a legally required competitive bid process for VRE's train operations in 2009. Amtrak placed third, behind Bombardier Transportation. Amtrak had operated VRE's trains since 1992. Yesterday, after the resolution passed, Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm said the railway is acting quickly on VRE and Keolis requests related to the transfer. "Keolis won this contract. They won it eight months ago. In another month, it'd be nine months they've had to get their act together, to do what they needed to do, and it certainly appears they have not reached that threshold," Kulm said. "Amtrak has been cooperative throughout the process." VRE officials disagree. In a letter hand-delivered to U.S. Sen. Mark Warner on Wednesday, VRE Chief Executive Officer Dale Zehner claims Amtrak has been undermining VRE's ability to hire and train Keolis staff. As an attempt to discourage workers from joining Keolis, Amtrak offered a $5,000 bonus to anyone who remained with Amtrak, Zehner wrote. Also, Amtrak, which operates Union Station, also "began a process of arbitrarily changing the crew qualification rules, making changes as recently as last week," Zehner wrote. Finally, "all the while Amtrak has also been sending letters to government officials and making statements in the press casting doubt on the preparedness and safety of the Keolis operation," Zehner wrote.
It isn't bad enough that we are outsourcing all our jobs, now we are bringing in companies to our country? I don't care if the employees are American the company is French. What next are we going to give our 9.9 billion that is reserved for high speed rail to a French company? We are turning our country in to a population of salves. You will be sorry when we all work for minimum wage at stores like Target. Not me, your not fooling me!
Grimace,
VRE is not sending boxes of money to France with this contract. All the management and employees of "Keolis Rail of America" are American. In fact, they're putting furloughed and laid off Americans back to work at a cost savings to the tax-payers.
Shame on you VRE for giving your contract to a foreign company. People are suffering in this country because of businesses like yours! I will never ride VRE again....
Shame on you VRE for giving you contract to a foreign company! You are the reason Americans are suffering. I will never ride VRE again.
Case closed? Just as long as the public understands that Amtrak President Joe Boardman was the immediate past Administrator of the FRA.
The Trolls of (Amtrak) Misinformation and Missing Information abound here.
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