Amtrak's Income Diversification Program: Potential for Increased Earnings and Reduced Federal Financial Support
RCED-84-41
Published: Oct 14, 1983. Publicly Released: Oct 14, 1983.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed Amtrak current income diversification policies and practices that are directed toward a variety of revenue-producing activities. GAO described Amtrak accounting for the costs and revenues of these activities and provided information relating to ongoing and planned income diversification projects.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress may want to consider prescribing: (1) that Amtrak initiate a systematic annual process of reporting to Congress its plans for income diversification on a specific project basis; and (2) when and under what circumstances independent audits of diversification activities should be required. |
Closed – Not Implemented
|
The congressional requestors agreed with the GAO recommendation, but were unsuccessful in getting legislation enacted to implement it. Therefore, no additional followup work is necessary. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| National Railroad Passenger Corporation | The President of Amtrak, in contracting for future independent audits of income diversification activities, should require that generally accepted government auditing standards be followed. |
Closed – Implemented
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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