STOCKTON, Calif. — As of June 29, the Stockton-based San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority has taken control over Amtrak’s San Joaquin Valley train service, considered the fifth-busiest Amtrak corridor in the U.S. with 1.2 million passengers a year, The Sentinel reported.

The new agency is headed by a 10-member board of directors, with each representing a different agency and county, the report said.

Caltrans formerly ran the San Joaquin line from Sacramento, with local agencies frequently complaining that they lacked a strong voice at the table. Now, with the new organization in place, Kings and surrounding counties are in a position to directly push for improvements to the line, which remains a transportation alternative for many local travelers, according to The Sentinel.

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