Amtrak has been under fire lately, including facing criticism for missing a family-friendly feature on its trains. Now, a bill concerning Amtrak that was initially proposed in August 2024 is moving forward in Congress. In response to persistent train delays and cancellations affecting travelers in the Northeast Corridor (which earned the nickname the “Summer of Hell”), U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey introduced the All Aboard Act. The bill wants to establish a “Rail Passenger Bill of Rights,” requiring Amtrak and NJ Transit to give full refunds to passengers when trains are canceled or delayed by more than three hours.
When your flight is canceled, you can usually expect to receive some form of compensation for the inconvenience from the airline. However, this stipulation hasn’t applied to trains — and Gottheimer is looking to change that. The legislation also aims to help Amtrak get the funding it needs to repair infrastructure efficiently. “To improve service, you need both carrots and sticks,” Gottheimer said in a press release introducing the bill. “We’ve already given carrots in the form of infrastructure investment. This new measure will compel Amtrak to prevent delays for commuters to the greatest extent possible.”
What does the All Aboard Act mean for Amtrak passengers?
