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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Office of the Inspector General will conduct a review of the Amtrak board’s oversight and expenses, according to a Sept. 26 letter USDOT sent to Amtrak Chairman David Laney.

Democratic members of the Amtrak Working Group requested the investigation in April after reviewing an October 2005 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that criticized Amtrak’s management and performance. The members issued their own report stating “some of the deficiencies cited in the GAO report represent a failure of Amtrak’s board of directors.”

USDOT plans to review how the board carries out its responsibilities and analyze board members’ expenses from fiscal-year 2002 to present.

USDOT officials want to determine the rules, procedures and authorities under which the board operates, and whether board members have followed established processes and procedures, and set long-term goals and performance objectives for Amtrak. Officials also want to ensure processes and procedures the board follows are sufficient to oversee the railroad, and board members’ expenses comply with corporate guidelines.