Amtrak loosens worker vaccine mandate, will allow testing option to avert service cuts

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. It hasn't even been a week.

Thu Dec 9, 2021: Amtrak to Congress: Service cuts are coming over vaccine rules

Source: Washington Post

An Amtrak executive told Congress on Thursday the railroad doesn’t expect to have enough people to operate all of its trains next month, when a federal coronavirus vaccination mandate takes effect.

Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said about 5 percent of its workforce has yet to get vaccinated less than four weeks before the Jan. 4 deadline.

“We anticipate proactively needing to temporarily reduce some train frequencies across our network in January to avoid staffing-related cancellations — with our plan to fully restore all frequencies by March, or as soon as we have qualified employees available,” Gardner said at a hearing of the House transportation subcommittee on railroads, pipelines and hazardous materials.

Amtrak last month warned it would send letters to uncompliant workers starting Dec. 8 in preparation for termination Jan. 4. The railroad is expected to publish a revised service schedule next week to reflect the cuts. Gardner said the carrier is still determining what trips will be removed, adding that the railroad wants to give passengers enough time to rebook trips.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/12/09/amtrak-vaccine-mandate-service-cuts/