Havre Amtrak still not selling tickets

The Amtrak station in Havre still has yet to reinstate traditional ticket agents for the Empire Builder despite Congress having ordered Amtrak to do so last year and members of Montana’s congressional delegation have since responded, as has Amtrak.

Amtrak Spokesperson Marc Magliari said Amtrak will have customer service representatives who will help people purchase their tickets online, but will not be able to sell tickets directly.

He said those representatives can book a passenger themselves if they lack the ability to do it themselves.

“Our customer service representatives (which is the title of what you are calling "ticket agents") at stations help customers who lack sufficient internet connectivity, equipment or information, by booking and performing the transaction,” he said. “They will use whatever device the customer wishes: Helping the customer with their own device or by using an Amtrak-issued device.”

Congress ordered Amtrak in 2019 to restore customer service agents, including selling tickets, to stations with ticket agents cut in 2018 that average at least 25 passengers a day.

Members of Montana’s congressional delegation, all of whom have been pushing for Amtrak to reinstate ticket agents, said more needs to be done.

"Greg (Gianforte) appreciates Amtrak's step in the right direction, but there's still a ways to go,” said a spokesperson for Rep. Greg Gianforte R-Mont. “He will continue being a strong voice for communities along the Hi-Line that rely on Amtrak."

Gianforte is currently running against Montana Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney, a Democrat, for governor.

A spokesman for Sen. Jon Tester D-Mont., who recently secured an Oct. 7 oversight hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee on the future of where Bear Paw Development Corp. Executive Director Paul Tuss will be speaking, said the senator will continue to work on the issue.

“We are pushing Amtrak for answers on this, and we are going to continue holding their feet to the fire to get these positions filled and to return the Empire Builder to full service as soon as possible,” Roy Loewenstein said.

A spokeseprson for Sen. Daines R-Mont., who is facing Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who cannot run for that office due to term limits, in Daines’ bid for re-election, said Daines is working on the issue.

“Sen. Daines is doing everything he can to help Montanans on the Hi-Line,” the spokesperson said. “That includes his support for returning the same level of service that existed prior to Amtrak's cuts."

Magliari said Amtrak’s policy of not taking cash for tickets is due to COVID-19.

“The entire company is cashless right now and has been since the start of the pandemic,” he said. “ … Most of our customers don't pay with cash and we've not accepted checks for many years. For those who are un-banked or don't carry credit or bank-backed debit cards, there are the work-arounds.”

He said handling cash is an expensive prospect in a time of such low ridership due to the pandemic and something that may not come back even after the pandemic is over.

“We are conserving funds during a dramatic fall-off in ridership and revenue and will review at a future date whether to again accept cash, driven by safety concerns and sound business decision-making,” he said.