Wanna get some drill down information on Amtrak? No problem! At least in theory! File a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
My first request was for some operational and financial information to clarify a few of the line items in the Monthly Performance Reports.
Amtrak told me that it is only required to furnish the records requested, provided they don't contain any trade secrets and other confidential business information, as well as eight other exemptions. Any slicing and dicing of the information in the records falls on the requestor.
To get the right records one would have to know the record layouts for the information being sought. How one would this information is problematic. I gave it up.
A second FOIA request was more successful. I asked when the FY13 Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements would be posted to Amtrak's webpage or be available to the public. December of 2014!
The theory behind the FOIA is provide specific requested information; not to be a trawl net to catch more information than is specifically requested.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD The theory behind the FOIA is provide specific requested information; not to be a trawl net to catch more information than is specifically requested.
The intent of FOIA is to provide a reasonable window for legitimate persons to get information about government programs and activities, which are paid for by we the people.
Here is how the Policy Statement reads: "In keeping with the spirit and intent of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), it is the policy of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to make records available to the public to the greatest extent possible."
Requiring a requestor to specific the exact records that he or she wants means that they have to know the record layouts. It is a difficult challenge for someone who is not part of the organization and, therefore, does not have access to the database architecture.
In addition, the government claims many exemptions, some of which may be valid, thereby further restricting the information that is available to the public. And if that is not enough, they reserve the right to redact anything that they deem inappropriate, i.e. trade secrets, national secuirty, legal proceedings, etc.
I have given up for the moment on my initial questions. But I plan to go at it again in a month or so.
FOIA went into law in 1967. It was strengthened in 1974 following Watergate and again from 1995-99, but mostly weakened with more and more exemptions in 1982, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
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