National Corridors Initative Editorial

I have resolved to spend more time with responsible voices in the transportation industry and a little glance at this week’s “Destination Freedom” newsletter from the National Corridors Initiative suggests a good regular destination.

Much of the material concerns transit, but the item on the Phoenix automated people mover is must reading. There is a superb editorial on the Transportation funding bill, which is the center of a dispute between congress and the President.

Lots of responsible voices are calling for immediate action on transportation funding and policy. The editorial emphasizes the need for prompt passage It notes the availability of formerFRA head and rail visionary Gil Carmichael (who also happens to be a Republican).

I have had a nagging fear about the Amtrak board and the NCI opinion piece answered my question in this message to the Obama administration.

Appoint Louisiana Secretary of Transportation Dr. William Ankner, former Presidential candidate and Amtrak Board Vice Chair Michael Dukakis, former Amtrak Chair John Robert Smith, and former US DOT Deputy Administrator Mort Downey to the Amtrak Board now. The plan had been to wait until passage of re-authorization bill to make the appointments; don’t wait on that; we have some incredible resources on the sidelines right now, who can assist in getting the bill structured. Let’s use them.

Amen.

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Filed under: Amtrak, Passenger Rail Politics, Passenger Rail Transportatio Policy