Amtrak CEO Stephen J. Gardner announced Wednesday that he would step down from passenger rail services after a profession of about three years.
In a statement, Gardner said: “Amtrak will leave to ensure that it continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration.
“We’ve done a lot to make Amtrak safer, more modern and a better travel experience for all our customers,” Gardner said.
Gardner joined Amtrak in 2009 and has held several executive positions, including executive vice president and chief executive officer and commercial officer, and president of Railway Services.
After being appointed president of Amtrak in December 2020, he piloted the passenger rail network through the Covid-19 pandemic when ridership levels plummeted. Since then, according to a recent year-end report, Amtrak has had a record 32.8 million customers in 2024, bringing ridership backlash.
As CEO, Gardner oversees an era of modernization and expansion through investments from the Infrastructure Act of 2021.
However, the challenges remain when running a new Acera train in the busiest and most profitable corridors in Amtrak in the northeast.
Amtrak’s efforts to replace the Acela train with new highways, red, white and blue Avelia Liberty trains have been behind in years. The train was originally scheduled to start carrying passengers from Washington to Boston in 2021, but safety and design disputes continue to delay the project.
According to Amtrak’s website, the company is currently aiming to get the train on the train this spring.
Gardner’s announcement comes two weeks after Elon Musk proposed privatization of Amtrak, claiming it was the only way to modify the national rail system. At the Technology Conference, Musk called Amtrak a “sad situation” compared to Chinese bullet trains.
Amtrak has historically struggled with aging infrastructure and frequent delays. It hasn’t made profits yet after decades of operation.
Amtrak said it expects to make profits for the first time under the Trump administration.
It remains unclear whether President Trump supports the privatization of Amtrak. During his first administration, he proposed a sudden financing cut in rail services.
