Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Doofus Of The Day #650


Today's award goes to Amtrak, for losing wasting pissing away almost $834 million of our taxpayer money (because it's subsidized by the US government) over the past decade.

According to the newly revised Heritage Foundation report, "Federal Spending by the Numbers", the rail service lost $84.5 million alone on its food and beverage services in 2011, and $833.8 million over the past 10 years. "It has never broken even on these services," said Heritage.

There's more at the link, including many other examples of Government-funded wasteful expenditure.

My question is this.  If Amtrak didn't make a profit on its food and beverage services in the first year of that decade, why did it continue pouring good money after bad for the next nine years?  Surely someone in authority should have said, "We'll put in vending machines with sandwiches and sodas, and let our passengers help themselves."  Why did no-one say - or do - anything like that?  Surely Amtrak's managers can't be that dense?

No . . . I guess they can . . .

*Sigh*

Peter

4 comments:

  1. It won't cost the supervisors their jobs if Amtrak's munchie services lose money. I'm sure they are trying to call it food subsidies for the poor.

    How much would you bet that a significant reason for that loss was having to pay high prices for food from companies that own the right Congressmen?

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  2. Union jobs.

    Rocket Jones

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  3. Having traveled by Amtrak not too long ago, it's not a shock. You can bring your own food, beverage, alcohol, etc - but it must be consumed in your seat or compartment. If you want to drink in the lounge or club car, you have to buy their food or drink. $6 for a bottle of beer, fr'ex.

    MrsZ and I stopped at a liquor store before boarding, enjoyed our meals in the dining car (included with a compartment fare), and drank our liquor in our compartment - where it was uncrowded and the views were nearly as good as the observation/lounge car.

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  4. What Rocket said. Union Jobs. A few stewards to serve food and drinks on each train adds up to a lot of dues paying brothers and sisters.

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