Instructor: Clay Shirky
Write A Paper Comparing Two Networks  

A Comparison between Comparison between Amtrak and Private Passenger Vehicles (PPV)

I chose these two forms of transportation networks because of my extensive travels over the past few years. I traveled from the East Cost to the West Cost with some friends for almost two months by car in order to do some sightseeing after my graduation from college. A few years later, I decided to also take the same trip using Amtrak going from one city to another until I reached San Francisco. From my own personal experiences, I would like to share with you some of the advantages and disadvantages of using either one of these networks.

PPV vehicles and Amtrak are both public transportation, but only Amtrak is mass transportation. Amtrak and private passenger vehicles both cost money, but only Amtrak is flat rate based on pre-selected destination point (the end-user through their ticket purchase partially pays for a portion of Amtraks operating costs), while the transportation cost (fuel and maintenance) for a PPV is calculated by the end users personal destination selection and is the sole responsibility of the PPV owner. Riders wait for Amtrak to arrive and leave on a pre-set schedule but PPV owners can arrange their own travel schedules. Certain amenities are provided for in Amtrak that would require the PPV owners to stop and use. There is higher cost for Amtrak to the end user over PPV but this is due to the higher level of convenience experienced by the end user.

Here are some basic facts about the infrastructure and use of these two transportation networks. Amtrak transports passengers to over 500 communities in 46 states and even has routes serving Canada. It covers a total of 22,00 miles and serves over 25 million passengers as of 2005. Amtrak is a quasi-government agency in the process of becoming a private entity and has over the years seen a decrease in passengers due to increased competition from the airlines industry and PPVs.