Via Rail Canada First Quarter 2025 Report

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) faced significant operational challenges in the first quarter of 2025, as on-time performance fell sharply from 72% in Q1 2024 to just 30% in the first quarter of 2025.

This decline was largely due to arbitrary operational restrictions imposed by CN Rail in the Québec City–Windsor corridor, leading to longer travel times and reduced service reliability, a key concern for passengers.

This disruption coincided with a dip in ridership of 2.7%, marking the first such decline since the recovery from the pandemic began.

Despite these headwinds, VIA Rail recorded an 8.3% increase in revenues compared to the same period in 2024, reflecting continued strength in other areas of its operations and service offerings.

“We want to reassure our passengers that VIA Rail’s operations are safe and fully compliant with all regulatory requirements,” said Mario Péloquin, President and CEO of VIA Rail. “The service disruptions we are experiencing are the direct result of infrastructure restrictions imposed by CN, restrictions that we believe are arbitrary and unnecessary. We have formally appealed this situation in court while continuing to engage with Transport Canada with a goal of finding a resolution that restores reliable, efficient service to the millions of Canadians who depend on passenger rail.”

-via Press Release

Norfolk Southern board of directors elects Richard Anderson as chair

Norfolk Southern Corporation’s Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Richard H. Anderson, the former CEO and Executive Chairman of Delta Air Lines, President of Optum Health, CEO of Northwest Airlines, and most recently President and CEO of Amtrak, as the independent chair of the board, effective immediately. Anderson has served on Norfolk Southern’s board since May of 2024.

NJT Safety Wraps

During this National Safety Month, NJ TRANSIT reminds customers that keeping safety top-of-mind is a year-round commitment when it comes to riding public transit. Whether on the rails or on the roads, vigilantly paying attention to signs, sounds and warnings is key to arriving safely. To denote the month this year, NJ TRANSIT has unveiled a specially wrapped bus and River LINE light rail vehicle reminding residents to keep safety top of mind.