STB sets hearing on Amtrak Gulf Coast service; extends Class I reporting period

The Surface Transportation Board late last week announced it will hold a continuing hearing Nov. 17-18 on Amtrak's application to operate passenger-rail service along the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.

The STB also announced it will hold a voting conference on Dec. 7.

The November hearing will focus on the examination and cross-examination of new evidence presented in supplemental materials filed after previous hearings on the matter concluded May 12, STB officials said in a press release.

The board expects the evidentiary part of the hearing to be completed within five hours. During the Dec. 7 voting conference, STB members will discuss and potentially vote on the case.  Although the voting conference will be open for public observation, no participation by the parties or the public will be permitted, STB officials said.

Meanwhile, the board has extended for six months a temporary reporting period of Class Is. In addition, the board is requiring updated information from BNSF Railway Co., CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad. 

The board is directing the four Class Is to continue submitting biweekly service progress reports until May 5, 2023. All Class Is must submit weekly performance data during that period, as well.

In April, the STB held a public hearing on the Class Is’ poor service performance that included testimony from shippers and others. Class I officials talked about the causes, extent and likely duration of service disruptions and their remedial efforts.

In response to the testimony, the STB ordered BNSF, CSX, NS and UP to file service recovery plans. The most recent data shows those railroads now are meeting some of their six-month service improvement targets and many key performance indicators are trending in a positive direction, STB officials said in a press release.

However, the data continues to validate anecdotal information about service issues, they said. Key performance indicators such as velocity, terminal dwell, first-mile/last-mile service, operating inventory and trip plan compliance show that railroads remain challenged in general, and in particular when compared to pre-pandemic service levels, STB officials said. Accordingly, continued monitoring is needed, they believe.