Our objectives for this report were to identify and assess the challenges associated with cost sharing on state-supported routes and the extent to which the company is working independently, and with its state partners, to address them.Although the company has addressed some of the concerns associated with cost sharing on its state-supported routes, we found that three challenges persist. First, there remain conflicting perspectives between Amtrak and its state partners about control over decision-making and the level of support Amtrak provides to those partners. Second, there remain unaddressed issues with the cost-sharing methodology despite the company’s efforts to improve its ability to directly assign costs to state partner’s trains. Third, the company’s state partners question whether the company has effective quality controls in its cost-calculation and bill-development process, and some state partners do not understand the company’s process. State partners’ perceptions about these issues affect their trust in the company, with about one-third having high trust around cost-sharing, one-third moderate trust, and one-third low trust.The ongoing congressionally mandated discussions about the cost-sharing methodology offer a meaningful opportunity to begin resolving the challenges we identified. To capitalize on this opportunity, we recommended that Amtrak coordinate with state partners and the Federal Railroad Administration, likely through the State-Amtrak Intercity Passenger Rail Committee, to clarify which decisions affecting state partner costs the company must control and the level of support the company can provide. We also recommended the company clarify and document decisions about the relationship between costs and service and how to handle capital costs. In addition, we recommended taking steps to better assure state partners that their bills are accurate, such as documenting the cost-calculation and bill-development process and sharing this information with them.
| Report Date | Agency Reviewed / Investigated | Report Title | Type | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corporation) | Governance: Amtrak Has Begun to Address State Partners’ Concerns About Shared Costs But Has More Work to Do to Improve Relationships | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation | DOJ Press Release: Somerset County Woman Charged with $1 Million Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Fraud Scheme | Investigation |
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View Report | |
| Department of the Interior | Progress Made by the U.S. Department of the Interior in Implementing Government Charge Card Recommendations, Fiscal Year 2021 | Other | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System | The Board Can Enhance Its Personnel Security Program | Inspection / Evaluation | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of the Treasury | Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery | Quarterly Report to Congress | Other | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Homeland Security | Review of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Fiscal Year 2021 Drug Control Budget Formulation Compliance Report | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Homeland Security | Review of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers' Fiscal Year 2021 Drug Control Budget Formulation Compliance Report | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Homeland Security | Review of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Fiscal Year 2021 Drug Control Budget Formulation Compliance Report | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Homeland Security | Review of U.S. Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2021 Drug Control Budget Formulation Compliance Report | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Homeland Security | Review of U.S. Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year 2021 Detailed Accounting Report for Drug Control Funds | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
