March 12, 2021 COVID-19 Rescue Package Signed: What’s in Store for Transit and Amtrak Written by David Peter Alan, Contributing Editor Let’s take a closer look at the increases in relief for transit and Amtrak; consider how they will affect service; and examine what transit, Amtrak and their riders can expect in the near future. It has now been a full year since the COVID-19 virus began to ravage the United States, along with everywhere else in the world. More than a half-million of us have already succumbed to its wrath, and schools, businesses, restaurants and entertainment venues shut down. Ridership on Amtrak and transit declined drastically, exacerbating those agencies’ financial woes. Things are beginning to look up, though, as many Americans now play a computer-driven lottery to get appointments for the elusive shots. When I last reported to you on the subject, the COVID Rescue Plan was making its way through Congress. The Senate passed it, and there were changes. The House ratified the changes, and President Biden has signed the bill into law.