TEXARKANA - As America comes to grips with the COVID-19 virus, transportation remains listed as an essential service.
Despite reduced services, Amtrak trains continue to carry travelers, which includes service to Texarkana's Union station.
"We are still operating every day," said Marc Magliari, Amtrak government affairs and corporate communications spokesman. "Some locations have closed their waiting rooms, so passengers might be standing by nearby, waiting in their cars for their train to arrive. Just use our app or our automated system to get train status. We are still serving our stations in Texarkana, Hope and Marshall."
Amtrak has had to make some adjustments in cleaning procedures for the safety of passengers and workers.
"We are making sure our trains are clean and safe for our passengers," he said. "Right now, ridership is down considerably, so social distancing is not a problem in our train cars."
Amtrak management noticed the drop in travelers early on as the COVID-19 situation developed.
"We noticed a dip in business in March due to folks listening to public health advisors about staying home," he said. "Traveling is still going on, and transportation is still considered an essential service. People still need to get places and we are here to make sure they can."
Amtrak has gone cashless, so passengers will have to pay electronically.
"No cash will be accepted," he said. "You will need credit, debit or Amtrak gift cards. A lot of our passengers use reloadable credit cards."
For more details on Amtrak service adjustments because of current conditions, visit amtrak.com/alert/service-adjustments-due-to-coronavirus.html
For station details and arrival times, visit m.amtrak.com/h5/r/www.amtrak.com/stations/txa.html