Amtrak Denies BWC a Member Discount Because It Can't "Publicly Oppose AAA"
Did AAA Use Its Influence to Intimidate Amtrak?
How's this for an unhealthy relationship: AAA -- an organization that has consistently lobbied against mass transit for the past 50+ years -- is granted a 10% Amtrak discount for its members. Better World Club -- an organization that has consistently lobbied on behalf of mass transit in general (and Amtrak in particular) -- is denied an Amtrak discount.
When advised by Amtrak that we would not receive an Amtrak discount equivalent to the one AAA members receive, an Amtrak representative actually stated that Amtrak couldn't "publicly oppose AAA" by offering a discount to BWC members. Is offering our members a discount "opposing" AAA? If Amtrak did offer BWC members a discount, would Amtrak executives have to start parking only in brightly lit parking lots?
Since Amtrak receives A LOT of public funding (we've even lobbied on their behalf here and here), we've approached lawmakers and asked them to look into the legality of Amtrak's preferential treatment of AAA.
What's next? How far is Amtrak going to take this self-loathing behavior? Will Amtrak employees stop taking the train to work in the mornings and all start driving alone? We want to help Amtrak break this cycle of self-defeating behavior. Readers, please comment on this article and let us know what you think is the best way to proceed.
How's this for an unhealthy relationship: AAA -- an organization that has consistently lobbied against mass transit for the past 50+ years -- is granted a 10% Amtrak discount for its members. Better World Club -- an organization that has consistently lobbied on behalf of mass transit in general (and Amtrak in particular) -- is denied an Amtrak discount.
When advised by Amtrak that we would not receive an Amtrak discount equivalent to the one AAA members receive, an Amtrak representative actually stated that Amtrak couldn't "publicly oppose AAA" by offering a discount to BWC members. Is offering our members a discount "opposing" AAA? If Amtrak did offer BWC members a discount, would Amtrak executives have to start parking only in brightly lit parking lots?
Since Amtrak receives A LOT of public funding (we've even lobbied on their behalf here and here), we've approached lawmakers and asked them to look into the legality of Amtrak's preferential treatment of AAA.
What's next? How far is Amtrak going to take this self-loathing behavior? Will Amtrak employees stop taking the train to work in the mornings and all start driving alone? We want to help Amtrak break this cycle of self-defeating behavior. Readers, please comment on this article and let us know what you think is the best way to proceed.
69 Comments:
Does Amtrak have a public comment line? An ombudsperson? You should figure out who members should contact, and publicize it -- and then see if you can drum up a bunch of nastygrams!
By dgossett, At November 25, 2009 at 10:58 AM
I just traveled to D.C. from Durham, NC via Amtrak. I'm furious at this outlandish situation. You need to start a grassroots campaign to expose this ignorance and force policy makers to correct this foolishness.
By Unknown, At November 25, 2009 at 11:11 AM
BWC is in a great position to start a letter-writing campaign. Tell us who to contact and we will.
By Gabriel, At November 25, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Perhaps it's time for another 'What's the doughboy afraid of?' campaign. You guys are clever - come up with a word that describes AAA to replace 'doughboy'.
By Unknown, At November 25, 2009 at 11:18 AM
That is really disturbing. I will think of ways to raise awareness. It helps that you blogged about it so it gives the Internet activists among us something to share.
As I look for a new home in an affordable area that won't require a car commute, I feel the cumulative impact of these little corruptions constantly.
By Rekha, At November 25, 2009 at 11:19 AM
I am always thrilled when I can make a journey on Amtrak, and I am hopeful that rider Joe Biden and his boss, along with my Democratic elected officials from California, will provide regenerated support for Amtrak's maintenance and development. A highly-improved national rail system will strengthen America from the inside.
I would welcome knowing the appropriate contact person/s in Amtrak (and elsewhere) to support the company to make much more intelligent use of its business sense. Denying BTW members like me who actively advocate for good rail both through BTW and also as individuals participating in the government process the ten percent benefit they provide AAA must make sense only to appease anti-rail private-industry corporate special interests. If so, is this strategy paying off?
Gimme some names and numbers!
Thank you,
Barry Bussewitz
Petaluma, California
By Barry Bussewitz, At November 25, 2009 at 11:22 AM
If this could get into other media, it seems that would be good. Any hope in contacting someone from NPR to get a story on Morning Ed. or All Things Considered? There are lots of folks who sympathize with BWC's goals among NPR listeners, and this really does seem like an odd situation that merits public attention.
By Testing, At November 25, 2009 at 11:28 AM
I belong to NARP and will write them a letter.
This should go into their newsletter along with contact info. Who should we be writing?
By marion, At November 25, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Why is this legal? Amtrak is a public corporation.
By Unknown, At November 25, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Sounds like Amtrak, a quasi-public agency, is responding to AAA's attacks, by rewarding its members with discounts. Surely this is a long run counter-productive policy. It would behoove Amtrack to encourage ridership that supports public transit, rather than fight it via AAA lobyists. Next time I ride Amtrack this will be a great conversation starter, most AAA members are probably as unaware of this counter productive policy as well as AAA's opposition to Amtrack.
By Andrew Rasmussen, At November 25, 2009 at 12:06 PM
I've just linked to this on my Facebook page...I hope lots of my friends will pass it on.
By TrudyS, At November 25, 2009 at 12:39 PM
That's really troublesome, but maybe not all that surprising. While I do think public transportation is the way of the future, I'm not sure Amtrak is. My husband took Amtrak from San Jose to Seattle last year and it took FOREVER. They probably averaged 25 miles/hour.
Regardless, thanks for letting us know.
By Town Mouse, At November 25, 2009 at 1:10 PM
That's really troublesome, but maybe not all that surprising. While I do think public transportation is the way of the future, I'm not sure Amtrak is. My husband took Amtrak from San Jose to Seattle last year and it took FOREVER. They probably averaged 25 miles/hour.
Regardless, thanks for letting us know.
By Town Mouse, At November 25, 2009 at 1:10 PM
What a disappointment. I think Amtrak is making a big mistake. But I also think that BWC played a part in this decision when we went "negative" and started turning the organization into a bully pulpit for anti-AAA rhetoric. I agree with the BWC position, and that's why I joined, for its pro-active benefits, not to fight AAA. Let's be better, not meaner. "Nastygrams" won't help. This is how wars get started. Instead, let's try to re-build a relationship with Amtrak, if it's not too late.
By Iris, At November 25, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Please start a viral email campaign, flooding Amtrak with messages of protest. This is outrageous.
Paul
By paul, At November 25, 2009 at 5:15 PM
FROM BETTER WORLD CLUB
Hey everyone,
We'll try to get hold of everyone who wrote, but we the comments section doesn't capture email addresses so it's a bit complicated.
We are planning what we should do next: most likely announcing a campaign of some sort (and thanks to Mary who references Ben & Jerry's "doughboy" campaign. We've been considering the same thing.)
So, watch for the upcoming issue of Driving Change. We should have a Call to Action there.
(And Iris, I hope we don't turn ourselves into a "bully pulpit for anti-AAA rhetoric". We try to keep it light. Hope we're generally succeeding.)
Thanks again for all of your comments,
Mitch Rofsky
Better World Club
By Mitch Rofsky, At November 25, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Amtrak's website has a "Contact Us" link, which I just used to send my comment on this issue. Simply click on the link, select the appropriate category for your comment (I chose something like "Specials/Promotions"), and fire away!
I explained how using public transportation benefits everyone, and instead of revoking the AAA discount, which would only discourage use of Amtrak, they should offer an equal discount for BWC members.
By Mia, At November 26, 2009 at 10:26 AM
You definitely should get in touch with Michael Dukakis. He is passionate about public transportation and serves (served?) on Amtrak's board.
His reputation is that of uncommon integrity. I beleive he would be offended by what happened and could be a source of valuable guidance. You would be hard pressed to find a more powerful ally.
Pat Murray
By Patricia Murray, At November 26, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Mia and Patricia: Great ideas. Will do.
Mitch: Campaign is a good idea. I'm not sure if I get the newsletter you mention. I do get one of them, though, so please be sure to include information on all your newsletters.
By Rekha, At November 28, 2009 at 7:01 AM
Americans invented the great railroads, made their mistakes along the way, killing off transportation which came before and in turn getting killed off by the car. We could have done it differently, but truly there are just too many people here who want to drive where they want when they want...and not enough rail lines, for various reasons, and not enough bargains and services on them. Here we are, where lobbyists can discourage rail improvements and then take a Triple A discount and complain about the bad service! It's always about money: who has it, who wants it, who controls it. I joined Better World Club as soon as I knew my AAA membership helped fight against high-speed rail in Ohio; now tell me what else I can do!! - Karen Stoner
By Anonymous, At November 30, 2009 at 8:54 AM
I was recently made aware of Amtrak's denial of discounted fares to BWC members when I scheduled a train trip in November. I was, in fact, shocked. Because I am a (happy) convert from AAA, I used to enjoy that discount in the past. The whole idea of denying BWC members the same discount is ludicrous, for all of the above comments everyone has contributed. Usually when I approach a motel or hotel that only shows discounts to AAA members with my proposal for a BWC discount, they immediately accommodate me with the same discount. It doesn't seem to be a conflict in their eyes. I would definitely write letters or emails to Amtrak about this issue as soon as you can figure out the best target for public opinion.
By Maria, At December 4, 2009 at 8:24 PM
I am about to book a long (NY-Florida) trip on Amtrak and noticed the AAA discount available. It is absolutely LUDICROUS that Amtrak will not recognize the Better World Club with the same discount. If they truly believe in sustainable travel, they would make these arrangements with every travel club out there.
By Unknown, At December 7, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Where are we at with this? Perhaps a Facebook group we could be a fan of? I bet we could easily get thousands of signatures on a petition...
By Hugh, At December 19, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Here's the Amtrak (non)response to my complaint on this matter:
Dear Ms. Murthy:
Thank you for your email and concern about this issue.
Amtrak offers a multitude of regular fare discounts, specials, as well as seasonal and special offers for a wide variety of passengers. Amtrak has offered certain discounts to some organizations as a result of overall strategy and marketing efforts. Of course, Amtrak cannot offer discounts to every organization and group, but our marketing and sales departments strive to offer competitive fares along with special incentives where best identified.
I have logged your complaint and comments for review by appropriate managers. Please know we care about your patronage, and I am sorry you feel our fares and incentives do not meet your needs.
Again, thank you for your email and concern.
Sincerely,
Mark Anderson
Customer Relations Specialist
Amtrak Office of Customer Relations
60 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
By Unknown, At December 19, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Webroot.com/safe provides the best security software that is necessary for your system life. It ensures full protection for small and medium businesses as well as for personal consumers around the world. Go to www.Webroot.com/safe, download Webroot, and proceed with installation steps as listed below.
You Can Visit the official Website:
Webroot.com/safe
Webroot.com/safe
By Marco Foster, At April 1, 2021 at 11:02 PM
mcafee.com/activate is a website running solely to part knowledge among the audience of why do we need an antivirus and how McAfee is the best choice. We also allow our customers to understand how to install, download, setup and activate the software to their devices (windows, Mac, smartphones).
mcafee.com/activate
mcafee.com/activate
www.mcafee.com/activate
By Marco Foster, At April 1, 2021 at 11:03 PM
Much thanks to you for sharing this data. You can easily download your desired Office product by visiting the official website Microsoft Office. Just Download and install the MS Office setup. Submit the activation key at office.com/setup to activate MS Office.
Visit Our Site:-
https://sites.google.com/a/a1office.co.uk/officecomsetupactivate/
https://sites.google.com/a/cp5mcafee.com/activatemcafee/
https://sites.google.com/a/sy4norton.com/mynorton/
https://sites.google.com/a/web4root.com/webrootgeeksquaddownload/
By grace parry, At April 6, 2021 at 4:21 AM
It inspires me to believe that I can sew and make. I really can create stylish clothes. I am still improving myself. I hope this will allow me to connect with others who enjoy creating too.
Visit Our Site:- https://sites.google.com/a/web4root.com/webrootkeycodeactivation/
https://sites.google.com/a/sy4norton.com/norton/
https://sites.google.com/a/cp5mcafee.com/loginmyaccount/
https://sites.google.com/a/a1office.co.uk/setupofficecomsetup/
By Isaiah davis, At April 6, 2021 at 4:31 AM
Hey! I read this as my perspective is good, hope to appreciate by everyone. also here is I share some knowledge for new information how to install youtube activate code so you can go through here and read this my Blogs.
amazon.com/mytv
amazon.com/mytv
amazon.com/mytv
By Harrison Carter, At April 7, 2021 at 10:35 AM
It is a great source that you are giving, and you offer it away for free. I like seeing a blog that knows the value of providing a quality resource for free.
Visit Our Site:- https://sites.google.com/a/web4root.com/webrootkeycodeactivation/
https://sites.google.com/a/sy4norton.com/norton/
https://sites.google.com/a/cp5mcafee.com/loginmyaccount/
https://sites.google.com/a/a1office.co.uk/setupofficecomsetup/
By grace parry, At April 7, 2021 at 12:38 PM
Hey here is Lora I read your Post as much as it's very helpful for me so I share it with my friends and social media as everyone gets knowledge here is my Blog when you want to purchase a product for software antivirus so here you may go and read this:
extender.linksys.com
mcafee.com/activate
Webroot Login
McAfee Login
By lora2908, At April 22, 2021 at 4:29 AM
If your subscription plan includes the desktop version of the Office apps you won't see an option to install it unless someone in your organization assigned a license to you.
office.com/setup home & student 2019
office setup home and student 2019
By office.com/setup home & student 2019, At May 9, 2021 at 12:44 AM
Your DNA narrates the entire story of your fitness, health, and nutrition. All you need to do is to go for the ancestry dna test and activate through ancestrydna.com/activate.
Visit To more Info:
Ancestrydna.com/activate
Ancestrydna.com/activate
By Marc Mandela, At May 11, 2021 at 6:04 AM
Ancestrydna.com/activate
Ancestrydna.com/activate
By Marc Mandela, At May 11, 2021 at 6:05 AM
onlyfans premium account generator
onlyfans premium account generator
By onlyfans premium, At May 13, 2021 at 10:06 PM
Hey I'm Boden I Read your blog I found on google like that so I got your post thank you for sharing impressive information's Just, I shared with us my software security you can go and buy here also read this blog is the benefit for you.
mcafee.com/activate
extender.linksys.com
By lora2908, At May 14, 2021 at 12:03 AM
Hey! I was just exploring and came across your site. The articles and blogs were quite interesting to read. I am from technological field. If someone is interested to read about Antivirus software, then do visit my site
mcafee.com/activate or
bitdefender login
norton.com/setup
office.com/setup
By officecomsetup, At May 14, 2021 at 5:07 AM
Install Office.com/setup Home Student 2019 on your Windows or Mac with a Home and Student 2019 subscription. It is for those students and families who require specific classic Microsoft Office apps to create an ultimate work result. It 2019 includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that is licensed for home use. Here you’ll learn how to activate and use Office Home and Student 2019.
office.com/setup home & student 2019
office.com/setup home and student 2019
office.com/setup home student 2019
By Victor Lablanc, At May 15, 2021 at 4:35 AM
Hi Guys! I’m John Taylor from Chicago, USA. I’m a software engineer by profession. I received my Ancestry DNA kit just a few days ago. I’m delighted that I signed up for it. It provides many amazing insights into the life of my ancestors. Thank you, Ancestry DNA, it’s worth every penny.
ancestrydna.com/activate
ancestrydna.com/activate
ancestrydna.com/activate
ancestrydna.com/activate
ancestry login
ancestry login
By David root, At May 18, 2021 at 12:03 AM
amazon.com/mytv | www.amazon.com/mytv
Through www.amazon.com/mytv - how you can connect your mobile phone to Amazon Prime. Through www.amazon.com/mytv, you can watch your favorite TV shows, series movies. You can watch prime videos anywhere on your device. Users need to create an Amazon account if they don’t have an Amazon account and enter the Amazon my TV activation code to watch Amazon prime videos on your device.
By Amazon my tv, At May 18, 2021 at 12:38 PM
amazon.com/mytv | www.amazon.com/mytv
Through www.amazon.com/mytv - how you can connect your mobile phone to Amazon Prime. Through www.amazon.com/mytv, you can watch your favorite TV shows, series movies. You can watch prime videos anywhere on your device. Users need to create an Amazon account if they don’t have an Amazon account and enter the Amazon my TV activation code to watch Amazon prime videos on your device.
By Amazon my tv, At May 18, 2021 at 12:38 PM
see if the Prime Video app is available on your Smart TV. Once you select it, it will request your Amazon Account login. In other words, you need to sign up for a Prime account via the Amazon website - once you establish your Amazon Prime Account, you can use your Amazon user login to log into the Prime video app on your Smart TV.at amazon.com/mytv and
www.amazon.com/mytv
By Panth0101, At May 18, 2021 at 11:29 PM
dhfjfksdhfjkskf
Funny Shirt quotes
By captino1253985, At May 22, 2021 at 8:15 PM
Hey, here is boden I read your article and I very appreciate your information here is my blog when you required any branding your organization or website designing SEO promotion, and many technology updations so you can go and read this is very helpful your organization so more please contact me. and you visit here.
SEO for Small Business
By lora2908, At June 8, 2021 at 2:53 AM
Hey, here is Boden your article and I very appreciate the information I shared with my circle and social media here is my blog when you required any branding your organization or software requirement and many technology updations so you can go and read this is very helpful your organization so more please contact me. and you visit here.
Avast Login
Belkin Setup
By lora2908, At June 17, 2021 at 6:20 AM
Run Errand Run by Montia Sherwood, offers you one stop solution for all household & outside works to be easily handled at the right time. Call: 8563003601Full Laundry Services
Local Dry Cleaners in NJ
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/for-any-kind-of-pick-up-delivery-local/
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/essentials-retail-grocery-shopping/
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/elderly-care-companionship/
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/in-home-task/
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/furniture-moving-removal
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/house-or-yard-cleaning
courier services near me
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/monthly-subscription-10-hours
https://www.runerrandrun.com/product/monthly-subscription-5-hours
By Run Errand Run, At June 23, 2021 at 3:40 AM
Amazon has become the largest online retailer and prominent cloud services provider in the world. The central vision or purpose behind establishing Amazon was to build the world’s most customer-centric company and provide users with a platform where they could buy anything. Initially, it was established as a bookseller but, due to its will to give value to the world, it expanded to sell a wide range of consumer goods and digital media. Along with this, it also started manufacturing its own high-tech electronic devices, including Kindle Fire tablet, Fire TV, Kindle e-book reader, a streaming media adapter, and many others. Moreover, all the users have to register their Amazon devices via Amazon.com/code using the steps we have given below.
Amazon.com/code
By Nancywilson, At July 1, 2021 at 5:33 AM
Hey guys! Howdy, you connect technology solutions with the latest gadgets, www.123hpcomsetuphp.com offers, help strategies identified with HP Printers. if you need You can go through one of my recently published content on HP printers get many information and fulfill your technical problems so visit here:-
Hp Printer Setup
By lora2908, At July 22, 2021 at 6:25 AM
I read a article under the same title some time ago, but this articles quality is much, much better. How you do this..
Try to check my webpage :: 오피사이트
(freaky)
By opbest, At August 7, 2021 at 8:00 PM
Go through ij.start.canon/ts3122 and download the latest full driver & software package for PIXMA TS3122 ij.start.canon ts3122 . SkyBet is the sports betting division of Betting and Gaming, a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Sky Broadcasting Group plc (Sky). Skybet login .
Visit canon.com/ijsetup/mg2522 to download and install the Canon Pixma MG 2522 Setup and enable your printer to execute various functions . canon.com/ijsetup mg2522
By Anonymous, At August 27, 2021 at 12:21 AM
Hello, friends here is my Affiliate product for you in Navratri Special So don't miss your chance go fast and quick buy your fav electronics products.
Affiliate Marketing | iphone affiliate selling
By Sonihema, At October 3, 2021 at 3:31 AM
You made some good points there. I searched for the subject matter and found most individuals will go along with your blog.
토토사이트
By sportstototopcom, At March 2, 2022 at 8:09 AM
Hi there, yeah this post is genuinely nice and I have learned a lot of things from it concerning blogging, thanks.
룰렛사이트탑
By roulettesitetop, At March 10, 2022 at 7:52 PM
Good article! Keep sharing this type of information to expand user knowledge. 바카라사이트인포
By SAFE SITES18, At April 22, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Terrific work! This is the type of information that are meant to be shared around the web. 바둑이사이트넷
By SAFE SITES18, At April 22, 2022 at 10:36 AM
Great post, thank you for sharing this amazing post. I really appreciate your work. 바카라사이트윈
By SAFE SITES18, At April 22, 2022 at 10:37 AM
where is the general ledger in Quickbooks desktop General Ledger is a useful tool and a very simple way to look at your spending for systematic business tracking With QB General Ledger, you can identify data entry errors and determine why certain figures are off
By laimrylah, At August 31, 2022 at 10:51 PM
To activate your pbs channel visit pbs.org/activate and follow the activation process.
pbs.org/activate
To activate your Fox news tv channel visit foxnews.com/connect and follow the activation process.
foxnews.com/connect
To activate your abc news tv channel visit abc.com/activate and follow the activation process.
abc.com/activate
By Anonymous, At November 20, 2022 at 7:28 PM
To activate your tnt drama tv channel visit tntdrama.com/activate and follow the activation process.
tntdrama.com/activate
To activate your cnn tv channel visit cnn.com/activate and follow the activation process.
cnn.com/activate
To activate your cnn tv channel visit www.cnn.com/activate and follow the activation process.
www.cnn.com/activate
By Anonymous, At November 20, 2022 at 7:28 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
By Jimmie Roy, At January 17, 2023 at 10:27 PM
I am Adam Smith Living In New York, United States. I am Working as a CEO in Tech Support Company
Paypal Login
Paypal Login
Paypal Login
Paypal Login
By Om bhole, At February 9, 2023 at 8:28 AM
CoinSmart is a popular Canadian cryptocurrency exchange designed to make digital coins available to all types of traders. This exchange supports the purchasing, selling, and trading of Bitcoin (BTC) and other leading digital assets. Users can trade Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar Lumen, Cardano’s ADA, Ripple, Tether USD, and EOS on the CoinSmart platform. The straightforward digital currency platform is compatible with novice users entering the cryptocurrency community for the first time. CoinSmart login also provides smart trading features for advanced and high-volume traders.
Visit here:- https://coinsmort-logi.com/
By jacob roy, At March 28, 2023 at 2:02 AM
Coinbase is a popular virtual currency investing and trading platform that allows you to swap, sell, and purchase over 200 cryptos, including Dogecoin, Ethereum, and Bitcoin. Coinbase is a huge exchange with over 108 million active users and over 80 billion dollars in assets on the platform.
Visit here:- Coinbase.com
By joss stark, At March 31, 2023 at 4:24 AM
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Your contribution is greatly appreciated, and I found your writing to be both informative and engaging. Please continue to share your insights with us, as I look forward to reading more from you in the future. Thanks again
divorce lawyers in virginia
By jane robert, At May 13, 2023 at 7:09 AM
Coinbase Login
Cash App Login
Phantom Wallet Extension
By Joss Stark, At June 3, 2023 at 2:53 AM
Ndax Login
Coinsmart Login
Coinsquare Login
Gemini Support Number
Garmin Connect Login
By Anonymous, At September 3, 2023 at 1:35 AM
I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to understand.Conferencia Preliminar Divorcio Nueva York
By raelynn, At September 28, 2023 at 3:01 AM
NDAX® | Login: Canada’s Most Secure Crypto Exchange
NDAX Login
By nick, At October 6, 2023 at 3:29 PM
UniSat Wallet Extension
UniSat Wallet Extension
UniSat Wallet Extension
UniSat Wallet Extension
UniSat Wallet Extension
UniSat Wallet Extension
By Pat Brown, At November 3, 2023 at 1:30 PM
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home