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Late last week, Amtrak released a new strategic guidance and five-year financial plan that aim to continue ridership growth and position the national intercity passenger railroad to maximize federal and state support for more passenger-rail service, including the development of high-speed rail corridors.

The strategic guidance outlines the opportunities and challenges facing Amtrak in the "new passenger-rail environment," where states have the primary role in developing new or expanded intercity and high-speed rail services. It establishes six broad goals governing safety, environmental stewardship, financial performance and customer service.

Covering fiscal years 2010 to 2014, the financial plan includes detailed projections for Amtrak’s revenue, operating costs, capital programs and debt service obligations. The plan also outlines initiatives for fulfilling its goals and key performance indicators, with targets for measuring progress.

Specific goals to be accomplished by the end of FY2014 include increasing ridership by 15 percent, growing ticket revenue by 20 percent, expanding service on eight existing state-supported corridors, forming two new state partnerships and improving service reliability.

The two documents “create a new vision” that supersedes Amtrak’s 2005 Strategic Reform Initiatives and aligns Amtrak’s goals with those passed by Congress in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 and the Obama Administration’s Vision for High Speed Rail in America, according to the railroad.