Industry executives form Commuter Rail Coalition

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A group of industry executives recently formed the Commuter Rail Coalition, which is designed to advocate for U.S. commuter railroads as well as engage and educate communities and stakeholders about the industry’s beneficial impacts.

Benefits include contributing to a region’s tax base, decreasing commuters’ carbon footprints, reducing congestion, and increasing property values.

“Commuter railroads need the focus in Washington that brings our issues forward,” Jim Derwinski, the coalition’s chairman, said. “By coming together as a single group, the Commuter Rail Coalition allows us to leverage our collective voices on the issues that matter.”

In addition to Derwinski, the coalition’s executive committee includes Doug Kelsey and Steven Abrams.

KellyAnne Gallagher is founding executive director. She previously was director of regulatory affairs, corporate standards and benchmarking for the New York Metro Transit Authority.

Other members include Pat Warren, former executive director of the Federal Railroad Administration; Mike Noland, president of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District; Kevin Corbett, executive director of New Jersey Transit; Matthew O. Tucker, executive director of North County Transit District in Oceanside, Calif.; Joe Giulietti, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation; and John Cline, senior managing director of FTI Consulting.

Every year, 490 million passenger trips are made via commuter rail.