METHODOLOGIES FOR AMTRAK ROUTE AND SERVICE PLANNING DECISIONS.

SEC. 208. METHODOLOGIES FOR AMTRAK ROUTE AND SERVICE PLANNING DECISIONS.(a) Methodology Development.—Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Railroad Administration shall obtain the services of a qualified independent entity to develop and recommend objective methodologies for Amtrak to use in determining what intercity passenger routes and services it will provide, including the establishment of new routes, the elimination of existing routes, and the contraction or expansion of services or frequencies over such routes. In developing such methodologies, the entity shall consider—(1) the current or expected performance and service quality of intercity passenger train operations, including cost recovery, on-time performance and minutes of delay, ridership, on-board services, stations, facilities, equipment, and other services;(2) connectivity of a route with other routes;(3) the transportation needs of communities and populations that are not well served by intercity passenger rail service or by other forms of intercity transportation;(4) Amtrak’s and other major intercity passenger rail service providers in other countries’ methodologies for determining intercity passenger rail routes and services; and(5) the views of the States and other interested parties.(b) Submittal to Congress.—Within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the entity shall submit recommendations developed under subsection (a) to Amtrak, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.(c) Consideration of Recommendations.—Within 90 days after receiving the recommendations developed under subsection (a) by the entity, the Amtrak Board of Directors shall consider the adoption of those recommendations. The Board shall transmit a report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate explaining its reasons for adopting or not adopting the recommendations.