Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
Michael J. Bazelides is executive vice president of Indian Trails
Motorcoach in Owosso.
On behalf of Indian Trails' 150 Michigan-based employees, I would
like to address James Wallington's commentary (Forum, July 10) in
support of furthering Amtrak's operating subsidy from the state.
Indian Trails Motorcoach is a small, family-owned business that has
operated for nearly 100 years. We used to offer nine daily round
trips between Flint and Chicago. We now offer only four because of
the direct competition of Amtrak.
Two years ago, the state increased Amtrak subsidies from $5.4 million
to $7.1 million and directed them to increase ridership. Amtrak
responded by cutting its rates to less than half of the fare that
Indian Trails charges.
Indian Trails receives no operating subsidy on the routes, which
Amtrak duplicates. It is now in the position where it may have to
scale back or terminate its regular route service in Michigan because
it cannot compete with Amtrak's non-market-based fares.
Wallington talked about Congress restoring and boosting Amtrak
to "survive, and hopefully thrive." This country was founded on the
basis of free competition. Indian Trails has no fear of competing
directly with Amtrak, if neither company is subsidized.
But we question how an entity like Amtrak can thrive when it can only
survive on larger and larger taxpayer subsidies. This taxpayer
funding is being used to directly compete with a privately run
business.
News Story
Motorcoach in Owosso.
On behalf of Indian Trails' 150 Michigan-based employees, I would
like to address James Wallington's commentary (Forum, July 10) in
support of furthering Amtrak's operating subsidy from the state.
Indian Trails Motorcoach is a small, family-owned business that has
operated for nearly 100 years. We used to offer nine daily round
trips between Flint and Chicago. We now offer only four because of
the direct competition of Amtrak.
Two years ago, the state increased Amtrak subsidies from $5.4 million
to $7.1 million and directed them to increase ridership. Amtrak
responded by cutting its rates to less than half of the fare that
Indian Trails charges.
Indian Trails receives no operating subsidy on the routes, which
Amtrak duplicates. It is now in the position where it may have to
scale back or terminate its regular route service in Michigan because
it cannot compete with Amtrak's non-market-based fares.
Wallington talked about Congress restoring and boosting Amtrak
to "survive, and hopefully thrive." This country was founded on the
basis of free competition. Indian Trails has no fear of competing
directly with Amtrak, if neither company is subsidized.
But we question how an entity like Amtrak can thrive when it can only
survive on larger and larger taxpayer subsidies. This taxpayer
funding is being used to directly compete with a privately run
business.
News Story
