OIG Report Highlights Key Improvement Areas for Amtrak

Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released a report identifying gaps in the rail operator’s approach to customer service for passengers with disabilities.

The audit found that Amtrak lacks an overarching strategy to guide its efforts in this area, with existing initiatives described as fragmented and lacking coordination across departments.

According to the report, while Amtrak has undertaken various accessibility-related projects, it does not consistently collect or analyse key data that would give it a full picture of service quality. The OIG noted that Amtrak routinely tracks accessibility-related complaints, but does so inconsistently. Other sources of insight, such as customer surveys and ridership data, are not regularly reviewed for accessibility-related trends.

The OIG concluded that without a strategy informed by data, covering goals, metrics, and priorities, Amtrak may not be focusing its resources where they could have the most benefit. The absence of such an approach could also expose the company to financial, reputational, and legal risks if services fail to meet required standards.

The report acknowledged that Amtrak has increased its engagement with disability-focused groups in recent years. Around half of the nine organisations interviewed by the OIG reported good working relationships with the company. Six of those nine groups indicated that Amtrak is often the preferred travel option for passengers with disabilities compared to air travel. Amtrak also has some targeted projects in progress, including developing technology to support customers using assistive listening devices.

However, the report identified inconsistent involvement of Amtrak’s Accessibility Office in initiatives affecting accessibility. Departments often decide on projects independently, leading to gaps. One example highlighted was Amtrak’s Digital Technology and Innovation department updating the mobile application without coordinating with the Accessibility Office, resulting in some features becoming inaccessible to blind users relying on screen readers.

As part of the audit, OIG staff examined the full travel experience for passengers with disabilities, from booking through to deboarding. They reviewed customer complaints and survey data, visited eight stations on four routes, and met with advocacy groups. The report outlined three main areas where Amtrak can improve:

Employee Interactions

The review found that 39% of accessibility-related complaints related to poor assistance during station navigation, boarding, and deboarding. Additionally, 22% referenced insensitive staff interactions.

Observations also showed that onboard staff did not always enforce policies aimed at supporting passengers with disabilities. For instance, designated seating areas were sometimes used for storage.

Communication of Travel Information

The OIG identified gaps in how Amtrak provides travel information. Passengers may not be able to request in-station assistance, and accessibility details were often difficult to locate via Amtrak’s digital channels. Audio and visual messaging quality varied across stations. Amtrak officials acknowledged these challenges and said work is ongoing.

Access to Onboard Amenities

Passengers with disabilities do not always have full access to onboard services such as food provision. For example, mobility device users may struggle to access café or diner cars. Although employees are required to provide at-seat service, this is not consistently implemented according to Accessibility Office officials. Amtrak plans to address this through three new fleets of trains under procurement, but full improvements are unlikely before these enter service.

The OIG recommended that Amtrak develop a comprehensive strategy for accessibility, strengthen its complaints tracking, and make better use of relevant data. It also advised establishing clear processes to tackle the three identified service areas.

Amtrak has agreed with the recommendations and outlined steps it plans to take.