October 10, 2020.
“THE ROAD TO RECOVERY – HOW A HEALTHY MASS TRANSIT & INTERCITY RAIL SYSTEM CAN AID THE NATION’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY”.
Please join us at the Rail Users’ Network’s Virtual Mini-Conference which is taking place on Saturday, October 10, 2020 from 1 pm – 5 pm(ET). This free, exciting event will highlight the ongoing efforts of rail transit agencies and intercity rail to provide service during the current pandemic and how a healthy mass transit & intercity rail system can aid the nation’s economic recovery. It will also highlight several efforts underway to improve and expand passenger rail / rail transit in the U.S.
The program will begin with a brief RUN business meeting to elect board members with opening remarks given by RUN’s Chair, Richard Rudolph, who will briefly talk about RUN’s history and some of the challenges that rail advocates are currently facing across North America.
The roster of speakers include:
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- Art Guzzetti, Vice President of Policy, American Public Transportation Association will provide an overview regarding how Mass Transit Agencies have been faring during the pandemic, what has been done to insure transit riders safety and APTA’s efforts to convince Congress to provide at least $32 billion in emergency funding as U.S. transit agencies struggle to stay afloat and support more than 400,000 industry employees.
- Mark Dowd, Chief Innovation Officer, Metropolitan Transportation Authority will provide an overview of the new technologies and approaches that are being used to fight the coronavirus in order to reduce the risk to riders and workers who utilize the nation’s largest transit system.
- David Peter Alan, Esq., contributing editor to Railway Age who is also the Chair of the Lackawanna Coalition and RUN Board Member will provide a legislative update regarding Federal legislation and administrative regulations which determine funding for Amtrak and transit. He will also talk about what might happen next year, depending on the results of the November elections.
- Andrew Albert, Chair, NYC Transit Riders Council, Chair Permanent Citizen’s Advisory Committee to the MTA, and MTA Board Member, and Vice Chair, Rail Users’ Network, will talk about the impact that the Covid 19 virus is having on the MTA and the need for federal financial support, otherwise the MTA will need to make “massive service cuts, massive fare increases, massive layoffs and shut down the impressive MTA Capital Program.”
- J. W. Madison, President, Rails Inc., will talk about how the U.S. passenger rail operating model is upside down in comparison to those of all our other modes of transportation. He believes this lies behind our chronic lack of progress in nationwide passenger rail, and that we need look no further away than our own country for a solution to this impasse.
After a short break, a panel presentation will be held from 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm to highlight some of the current efforts underway to expand passenger rail and rail transit in the U.S. The moderator, Richard Rudolph, will provide a brief overview of what is happening in New England. The invited panelists include:
Scott Rogers, Chair, West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition will talk about the on-going efforts to restore passenger rail service from Eau Claire, Wisconsin to St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dave Strohmaier, Missoula County Commissioner will talk about the creation of the Big Sky Rail Authority and the efforts to restore passenger service to southern Montana.
Michael Noland, President / General Manager, Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District (invited) will talk about the West Lake Corridor Project.
The afternoon session will close with an audience forum to provide an opportunity for members of the audience to share their ideas and concerns regarding passenger rail / rail transit in the United States.
The forum is designed not only for rail advocates, but also civic and business leaders, environmentalists, planners, real estate developers and members of the general public who are interested in knowing more about passenger rail and rail transit in the U.S.
Please note this is a free event, but registration is required. Be sure to register no later than October 8 so that we can send along the info needed to attend RUN’s virtual mini-conference.
We look forward to your participation. In the meantime stay well and be safe.
Richard Rudolph, Ph.D.
Chairman, Rail Users’ Network