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DD & I just returned from our trip from Orlando - ABQ via 92, 29 & 3 - more on the actual trip later.
At the station in Orlando an employee told me that all Amtrak reservations were now being handled through an 'outsourcing' company. I was also told that Amtrak is being 'sold' to Foreign Investors in the near future. Hmmmmmm.......
DeeCT Member # 3241
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Ah --- got to love those rumor mills.
MDRR Member # 2992
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That hasn't actually happened yet, but the Amtrak Board of Directors did vote to hire a consulting company, to review the feasibility of doing exactly that and thus figure out how much money they can save.
Sen Lautenberg has an ammendment before the Senate now to prohibit foreign outsourcing of any Amtrak jobs.
CHATTER Member # 1185
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To clarify, the board of directors' proposal looked into outsourcing the reservations system, and NOT to the "sale" of Amtrak to foreign investors.
wayne72145 Member # 4503
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United Air lines telephone agents are in India now and good luck understanding them and vice versa, I gave up and booked a different air line. I hope Amtrak doesn't make that mistake.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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MDRR: "the Amtrak Board of Directors did vote to hire a consulting company, to review the feasibility of doing exactly that and thus figure out how much money they can save."
A consulting company named Mercer told them they could save money by running the LD's 3 days a week. They lost money when they tried it. One of David Gunn's first acts was to fire the consulting companies. As he put it: "I don't need to loan my watch to someone to tell me what time it is".
George Harris Member # 2077
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Consultants can be and are used legitimately when you need something done for which you do not have the in-house skills.
Consultants are frequently hired illegitimately for one of two reasons, sometimes both combined.
1. To pass the responsibility when you have to tell someone, particularly the government, or a project's future users or lender something they do not want to hear. "We are sorry, but according to the consultant's report . . ."
2. To be used as a scapegoat for what you have made a mess of. This is quite common in international work. "We were unaware of the problems because our high-priced foreign consultant hid them from us and did not understand local conditions."
I could say a lot more, but since my long term employer does this type of work, and offending either your employer or their current and potential customers is a form of professional suicide, I better shut up.
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