Stephen Gardner, a long time leader in Amtrak, resigned as CEO on March 19. The movement occurs when the Trump administration has shown dissatisfaction with the intercity passenger rail service.
“I am abandoning as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy all the faith and confidence of this administration,” Gardner said in a statement.
Officials have not yet appointed successor. The Board of Directors of Amtrak thanked Gardner for his 16 years of service in a statement, adding that “we will take advantage of his successes and wish him all the success.”
Gardener, who had interned in Amtrak in the 1990’s, joined in 2009 and worked through several executive roles before becoming President in 2020 and CEO in 2022. He also served as Congress staff, including the Senate Committee of the United States on Commerce, Science and Transport, and formerly worked on the Central Maine railway and the Buckingham Railway.
National Railroad Passenger Corp., the government -owned corporation, better known as Amtrak, which operates the passenger rail service in 46 states and Washington, DC, plus two Canadian provinces. Amtrak says he reached a record of balls of all time last year, with 32.8 million customers and obtained $ 2.5 billion in ticket income. Amtrak has also launched an infrastructure project board under Gardner’s leadership, saying that he invested $ 4.5 billion in infrastructure improvements and fleet last year.
Despite the growth of driving and revenue, Amtrak has faced the criticism of Trump administration officials. Reuters, quoting two anonymous sources, reported that the White House requested Gardner’s resignation.
Earlier this month, the Secretary of Transport, Sean Duffy, wrote a letter to Gardner ordering Amtrak to increase security at the Washington Union station and provide the federal railway administration with a crime prevention plan within 30 days. In his statement on Gardner’s resignation, Duffy only mentioned his concerns with Union Station.
“It’s time for Amtrak’s leadership to clean union,” he said. “It’s time to get rid of the treasures of our nation of the homeless and crime. Travelers and travelers need to feel safe in our capital.”
The billionaire Elon Musk, who acts as an unofficial advisor to President Donald Trump, said earlier this month as he appeared practically in a case that Amtrak and the United States postal service should be privatized, calling Amtrak a “sad situation.”
Trump has named Robert Gleason, a former Pennsylvania Republican Party Chief and a past member of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, at a five -year term at the Attrak Board. Gleason’s nomination is still pending confirmation of the Senate.
