Havre, Shelby look to get customer service agents at Amtrak stations

Editor's note: The original version of this story said U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont. did not respond to a request for comment for the article. The Havre Daily News emailed a former spokesperson for his office and was unaware the spokesperson no longer worked in his office. His comments are included in this version. This version also corrects information in photo captions about what stations will get customer service agents.

In February, President Donald Trump signed a budget agreement which would prevent the federal government from re-entering a shutdown. This legislation included funding for Amtrak, contingent on Amtrak providing a station agent in each of its stations that had ticket agent positions eliminated in fiscal year 2018.

Amtrak cut the staffing in June for Havre and Shelby, part of cuts to ticket agent staffing around the country. The service said that, due to the use of internet and automated telephone ticket purchasing, it was cutting staffing at stations that average fewer than 40 passengers a day in order to be "good stewards of taxpayer dollars."

Amtrak announced last year that they would be removing the ticket agents from the Havre and Shelby stations effective June 2018 due to low ridership.

Amtrak Public Relations Manager Marc Magliari said Thursday that if customers are unsatisfied with the service, they should let them know. He said Amtrak is looking to make the experience for its customers more consistent and make improvements across the system.

There are certainly different needs for different communities, he said, adding that people can contact Amtrak through customer relations on the company's website.

Some people have said the cuts and changes ignore other services ticket agents perform - for example, a Havre ticket agent helped a passenger get life-saving medical care in April, then helped him get aboard the train and headed onward several days later - and ignores issues ranging from ticket agents telling passengers what is available in the community and collecting baggage to get it onto the baggage car. Other services include answering calls about the schedule and the fact that if no ticket agent is present, children cannot get on the train unless an adult guardian is traveling with them.

A Havre couple found that out the hard way in June when they tried to put their grandson on the train to ride home to Glasgow. They then stood in the rain on the station platform using their cellphones to buy tickets so they could take an unexpected trip with him to get him home on the train.

Ticket agents also played a role in directing people to tourist attractions, lodging and places to eat in town.

In 2017 the Havre Station, according to Amtrak Fact Sheet and the Great American Stations website, had 11,570 passengers, averaging 31.70 passengers a year. In 2018 the station had 11,102 passengers, 468 passengers fewer than the previous year.

Shelby in the fiscal year of 2017 had 10,887 passengers, averaging  29.83 passengers a day, and in 2018 had 10,387 passengers, 500 passengers fewer than previous year.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., all submitted letters to the Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson last year, before the ticket agents were removed, advising Amtrak not to remove the agents from the Shelby and Havre stations.

Ticket agents were removed but with the federal budget passed in February there may be some changes.

Tester's Deputy Communications Director Dave Kuntz said Wednesday that the wording in the budget was unclear on whether Amtrak was required to reinstate the ticket agents who were removed.

These positions were replaced by a caretaker, who is subcontracted through a separate company. These caretakers are not Amtrak employees and are unable, currently, to perform the same function as a ticket agent.

He said that Tester's office has sent a letter to Amtrak to clarify the company's plans with the stations, although it is not looking very optimistic.

Daines’ Press Secretary Julia Doyle said he is continuing to work on the issue.

“The senator supports bringing the ticketing agents back and will continue to push Amtrak on making sure this issue is resolved,” she said

Gianforte's office had not replied to a request for comment as of print deadline.

Dan Engstrom, resident of Seattle, and former employee of Amtrak, said that he thinks it is up to constituents to put pressure on their representatives, such as Tester, Daines and Gianforte, in order to make sure that these services are restored, "as they were illegally discontinued," he said.

Rail Passenger Association representative Mark Meyer said he has not personally read the wording in the bill, but one interpretation by members of the Rail Passenger Association is that it will only specifically apply to the stations which lost their staff in the 2018 cutbacks.

"The other reason that I am skeptical about a place like Havre being restaffed is that I would think we would have heard more about it by now if that was the case," he said.

Meyer added he thought the situation was "too good to be true."

He said a Rail Passenger Association NorthWest Divisional meeting is set for May 18, in the Elks Lodge in Cut Bank from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Speakers at this event will include Gianforte, Daines' Montana Field Rep. Alison Vergeront, state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, Rail Passenger Association President Jim Mathews and Cut Bank Chamber of Commerce President Ric Beals.

Other speakers which were invited include BNSF Railway Montana Division Superintendent of Operations James Pino, Tester, an unspecified Amtrak representative and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

Magliari said Thursday that Amtrak will follow the congressional direction.

Magliari shared in an email the language of the legislation:

"The conferees direct Amtrak to provide a station agent in each Amtrak station that had a ticket agent position eliminated in fiscal year 2018," it said. "Station agents, which include Amtrak ticket agents or caretakers, assist passengers with their intercity rail travel, provide customer service during all hours that a station is open, and perform building maintenance duties. The conferees direct Amtrak to improve communication and collaboration with local partners and take into consideration the unique needs of each community, including impacts to local jobs, when making decisions related to the staffing of Amtrak stations, and to work with stakeholders to maximize the efficiency of these station agents."

Magliari added that this does not mean the Havre or Shelby stations will be rehiring a ticket agent. Instead, Amtrak plans to develop new standards and expectations for the caretaker position, based on the guidelines in the legislation.

"We're going to develop some standards and some expectations of the caretakers, based both on the hiring of (Amtrak's Assistant Vice President of Stations Robert Jordan) and this legislation," he said.

Magliari said this legislation coincides with the reorganization of Amtrak, which centers customer service at stations under Jordan.

His role is to make sure that Amtrak customers who are visiting Amtrak stations get an excellent and consistent experience, Magliari said.

He added that he cannot forecast if new caretakers will be placed at these stations, although it depends on the level of satisfaction with that caretaker and their performance.

"Congress just finished their actions two weeks ago and Mr. Jordan is just now starting in this job, so between those two things we'll be fully compliant with the direction from congress," Magliari said.

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Amtrak Fact Sheet:https://www.railpassengers.org/site/assets/files/1199/mt.pdf/.

The Great American Station Shelby Station:http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/shelby-mt-sby/.

The Great American Station Havre:http://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/havre-mt-hav/.

Amtrak contact: https://www.amtrak.com/contact-us/.

Rail Passenger Association meeting agenda:https://www.aawa.us/events/rpa-nw-division-meeting-5-2019/.