|
 Printable Version
December 31, 2008
“Now we need to remake our transportation system for the 21st Century.”
Dear President-Elect Obama:
Thank you for your clear statement recognizing the need for a change in the U.S. approach to transportation investment. Thank you also for selecting a transportation secretary supportive of Amtrak, and for noting at your December 17 news conference that Rep. La Hood, “throughout his career, has fought to improve mass transit.” We were equally pleased at his prominent reference to Amtrak at the same conference: “We have a task before us to rebuild America. As a nation, we need to continue to be the world leader in infrastructure development: Amtrak, mass transit, light rail, air travel…”
Your statements and your voting records encourage us to believe that you share the view that travel choices which are attractive, convenient, safe and affordable should be available to all Americans - be they of modest means or middle class, individuals or families, urban or rural, young or old, able bodied or with disabilities.
The National Association of Railroad passengers is the largest citizen based public interest organization representing the millions of Americans who use trains and transit today and the millions more who would use it tomorrow if they had the choice. Our work is carried out on a volunteer basis by our 24,000 individual members, supported by a small Washington-based staff of five.
Our vision – which will improve the lives of all Americans—is for a next generation transportation system that provides Americans those important travel choices. It is a vision for a multi-modal transportation system that will make travel easier for all Americans wherever they live; and make high quality mobility affordable and available. The system will place greater emphasis on rail for transporting passengers and freight, and on convenient linkages among all forms of transportation. The system will be energy efficient and environmentally benign and will drastically reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and interests.
It is important that the stimulus package you are preparing begin to move our nation closer to this vision. We urge you to allocate at least $20 billion of total stimulus spending to projects that will improve and expand passenger train service throughout the country. The attached appendix lists some projects that should be undertaken with these funds.
Experience this year demonstrated how this choice helped many Americans adapt to high oil prices. Vehicle miles traveled dropped, highway and airport congestion eased and oil consumption fell as millions shifted from cars and planes to trains and transit. Millions more would have made the same shift, and the impact would have been far more positive, if they had had the choice. Even years before the recent peak in gasoline prices, polls showed that 70% of Americans want better train service. Overwhelming House and Senate votes for recent passage of the rail safety and Amtrak reauthorization bill shows that Congress agrees. The time to begin is now.
We understand that change will not be easy; entrenched interests—including many state highway departments—will fight to preserve the status quo. However, the current dip in oil prices does not weaken environmental arguments for a greater emphasis on energy-efficient transportation, nor does it eliminate the need to prepare America for the time when oil once again becomes scarce and expensive.
We stand ready to help you and your administration in any way we can to prepare America for a better future. We ask that you designate a person in your administration with whom we can work on transportation issues. We are in touch with the issues and can provide ideas and information that will be useful to you and your staff. We think that these issues are important to you - because they are important to the American people. We would appreciate an opportunity to meet personally with one of your staff.
Respectfully,
George L. Chilson
Chairman of the Board
Ross B. Capon
President and CEO
CC: Vice President-Elect Joseph Biden
Rep. Ray LaHood, DOT Secretary Designate
The Honorable John D. Rockefeller
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
The Honorable Jim Oberstar
The Honorable John Mica
» back to main resources page
|
