Passenger Trains > No Amtrak AAA discounts?

Sorry, using tablet and cant do a search on TO...i just looked at Amtrak.com and don't see AARP or AAA discounts...only NARP...hard to believe they dumped them...Thanks...Steve

Posted from Android

the_expediter Wrote:
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> Sorry, using tablet and cant do a search on TO...i
> just looked at Amtrak.com and don't see AARP or
> AAA discounts...only NARP...hard to believe they
> dumped them...Thanks...Steve
>
> Posted from Android

Yup. A couple of months back.

Be a senior or be a member of Rail Passenger Association (nee NARP) if you want a discount.

Thanks Amtrak for your support of seniors the least you could do is give us a little break. Oh well the Brown stain in OR raised taxes on us too.

There never was an AARP discount.

BAB Wrote:
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> Thanks Amtrak for your support of seniors the
> least you could do is give us a little break. Oh
> well the Brown stain in OR raised taxes on us too.

The thing is losing money. What is the justification for giving seniors a discount?

It never ceases to amaze me how people demand a discount for themselves, yet they demand Congress give Amtrak more money so they don't go belly-up.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> BAB Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks Amtrak for your support of seniors the
> > least you could do is give us a little break.
> Oh
> > well the Brown stain in OR raised taxes on us
> too.
>
> The thing is losing money. What is the
> justification for giving seniors a discount?

Other public transit "loses money" and are required by FTA regs to offer 50% discount to seniors., though may put you to some trouble to apply for it.

https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/14_Half_Fare_TriennialGuidance_FY2011.pdf

Amtrak's discount is 10%, down from 15%.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/18 08:12 by joemvcnj.

Amtrak California will be restoring AAA discounts soon, it is reported.

Posted from iPhone

Senior discounts and entitlement payments (SS, Medicare) should be needs based. Why should Warren Buffett or, one day, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and the WAL*MART clan take money from the Treasury, farebox or diner cash register?

Full disclosure: I never intend to run for elective office.

I tend to agree, at least with fares. (We have all paid into the other systems for decades).

My boss's boss, who makes about $225K per year and works about 1 or 2 hours a week (having meetings), is so excited about getting NJT's senior discount soon, which is age 62, 55% off, no rush hour blackouts.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/18 10:48 by joemvcnj.

Lurch_in_ABQ Wrote:
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> Senior discounts and entitlement payments (SS,
> Medicare) should be needs based. Why should Warren
> Buffett or, one day, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and
> the WAL*MART clan take money from the Treasury,
> farebox or diner cash register?
>
> Full disclosure: I never intend to run for
> elective office.

SS is not an entitlement

Posted from Android

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ts1457 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BAB Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Thanks Amtrak for your support of seniors the
> > > least you could do is give us a little break.
>
> > Oh
> > > well the Brown stain in OR raised taxes on us
> > too.
> >
> > The thing is losing money. What is the
> > justification for giving seniors a discount?
>
> Other public transit "loses money" and are
> required by FTA regs to offer 50% discount to
> seniors., though may put you to some trouble to
> apply for it.
>
> https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/file
> s/docs/14_Half_Fare_TriennialGuidance_FY2011.pdf
>
> Amtrak's discount is 10%, down from 15%.

To be fair and honest, lets try posting the rest of the requirements for your insistence of a 50% discount:

https://www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/urbanized-area-formula-grants-5307

Since Amtrak long distance trains are not eligible to receive any 5307 grants, your claimed required 50% discount does not apply.

I did not indicate Amtrak was required to do it, nor insist they do it, but compared it to ordinary public transit.
The public does not care who gets 5307 Grants - just that a train is a train.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/18 10:52 by joemvcnj.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> I did not indicate Amtrak was required to do it,
> nor insist they do it, but compared it to ordinary
> public transit.
> The public does not care who gets 5307 Grants -
> just that a train is a train.

That is one of the bigger problems. The public is woefully ignorant about everything. the way to fix that is to stop pandering to said ignorance and start educating them - in this case that a train is not an undifferentiated train. There are different trains that get funded in different ways, and it is their money irrespective of whether they get the fare paid from taxes or through the farebox.

Of course Social Security is an entitlement. It can be completely terminated by an act of Congress at any time. Nobody has an account there; the payments to beneficiaries are set by law. The money paid in gets distributed to today’s retirees; if tomorrow’s retirees are to get anything it will come from the next generation that is then working, or alternatively from money borrowed from China.

Posted from iPhone

reindeerflame Wrote:
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> Of course Social Security is an entitlement. It
> can be completely terminated by an act of Congress
> at any time. Nobody has an account there; the
> payments to beneficiaries are set by law. The
> money paid in gets distributed to today’s
> retirees; if tomorrow’s retirees are to get
> anything it will come from the next generation
> that is then working, or alternatively from money
> borrowed from China.
>
> Posted from iPhone

If the payments are set by law, they have to be revoked by law.

I don't see Congress doing that directly. Even a portion of inflation would be offset by COLA.

And no discount for NRA members either. <G>

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

ts1457 Wrote:
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> What is the justification for giving seniors a discount?

How many reasons do you want?
1. It's good for business
2. Most national restaurant chains offer it because they know it draws seniors
3. Us OF's have more time to take the train instead of flying
4. We like "deals" - look for them and use them frequently.

I could go on but I think you get the point.

BB

bmarti7 Wrote:
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> I could go on but I think you get the point.
>
> BB

No I don't and I am a senior.

If a senior wants to save money on Amtrak, let him/her use their flexibility to travel when demand and fares are lighter.