Lead station agent making an announcement, 2015.

Lead Station Agent Bruce "Doug" Jensen makes an announcement at the Emeryville, Calif., station. Ticket agents provide passengers with superior customer service from behind the ticket counter or on the station floor or platform. They are skilled in the processing of all types of Amtrak tickets and possess a thorough understanding of tariffs. Ticket agents verify that passengers are properly ticketed or have the proper travel documents, ensure compliance with baggage requirements and assist with luggage and the boarding of trains.

The Emeryville station opened in 1994 to replace the 16th Street Station in Oakland, which was heavily damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It is served by Capitol Corridor (Auburn-Sacramento-Emeryville-Oakland-San Jose) and San Joaquin (San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento-Bakersfield) trains and the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles-Seattle); it is also the western terminus of the California Zephyr (Chicago-Emeryville). Accordingly, Emeryville is an important transfer point for passengers using Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches to reach destinations across the bay in San Francisco.

Photographer: Chuck Gomez for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.