Inefficiency on the Hartford Line

The CT/Amtrak rail line known as the Hartford Line, is supposed to get customers to their destinations on time throughout the Connecticut state.  It is an important service for people to make connections, and transfers to other trains and buses along the route. However, since the service started in the summer of 2018, The Hartford Line has been detrimental to many customers.  This is especially true for college students attending classes at the University of Connecticut, Trinity College, and the University of Hartford.

The Hartford Line has been experiencing a myriad of issues since its deployment.  Trains are consistently arriving late, aging equipment has led the breakdown of numerous vehicles, long gaps exist in between train schedules, a large portion of the equipment used on the line is incompatible from manufacturer to manufacturer, and more.  The list goes on and on. When will the state step in and fix this nonsense? I am sick of paying for a service that is unreliable, and not even a benefit for you when you need it the most.

That is not to say there are not positives of the system. Though, some of the advantages of the Hartford Line include: $8 fares, intermediate stops connecting Springfield and New Haven, and a low cost option for people like me who travel to New York City every weekend. With connections to the Metro North at New Haven, I have to say, it is a bargain.

However, the disadvantages outweigh the positives of the service, such as long gaps if the train doesn’t connect with the Metro North train (New Haven Line), and a lack of announcements made if there is an issue on the line. Sometimes, customers are not even notified until after they have paid their fare already. In an era where bus tickets and taxi rides are overcharging customers for their service, sometimes you just have to put up with the delays and more if you are trying to save some money.

It is not right in my opinion for public transportation to be so inefficient, but we have to make due with what we are provided. Hopefully, the Hartford Line system sees some upgrades in the near future, and fixes many of the problems I have listed.  At the end of the day, we may not arrive to work on time, but we will (hopefully) get to our destinations eventually.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HARTFORDLINE.COM