New DOT Secretary?

[AmtrakFlyer]

Anyone want to start throwing out guesses on who’s on the short list?

I hope this isn’t one area Biden tries to reach across the aisle and appoint a Republican. I’ve heard rumblings we can expect a couple GOP appointments as he tries to reach across the aisle.

Infrastructure today is too important to play around with but stranger things have happened. George W Bush reached across and appointed (D) Norman Mineta who in turn was about as anti Amtrak as any DOT Sec in Amtrak’s history and advanced Bush’s anti rail agenda.

I do get Amtrak is bi partisan though and maybe a Sen Moran type might be what the dr ordered. Who’s knows.

On a related note heres a list of DOT secretaries to date.

https://www.transportation.gov/50/collage#Norman_Y_Mineta

 

[NSC1109]

I think it’s a little early to be asking about who Biden may or may not appoint. No one has been declared the winner yet.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I would tend to agree with you, but the Secret Service on Friday morning upgraded Biden's level of security to that of President Elect.

 

[Palmetto]

I think it’s a little early to be asking about who Biden may or may not appoint. No one has been declared the winner yet.

True, but there's already a transition team website that's been set up as of yesterday [Friday]. As to a name, I like De Fazio.

 

[CTANut]

If Biden wins, Amtrak service probably will increase, however, Trump's political party made it clear that they want to dissolve Amtrak and let a private party handle the Northeast Corridor.
It all depends on what happens in Congress as well.

 

[tgstubbs1]

How the Senate races finish will make a big difference. Some of those races are very close and will take time to resolve.

 

[MikefromCrete]

Congressman Bill Lupinski of Illinois is a possible choice. He was defeated in the primary, so he's available. He has served on many transportation committees in the House. His father, whom he succeeded, was also big on transportation and got the CTA's Orange Line built during the Reagan administration.

 

[Saddleshoes]

How about bringing back Ray LaHood?
He is also a former (Republican) Illinois congressman and was DOT secretary for Obama's 2nd term. He knows the turf. He was one of the main supporters of High Speed Rail.

 

[Palmetto]

Congressman Bill Lupinski of Illinois is a possible choice. He was defeated in the primary, so he's available. He has served on many transportation committees in the House. His father, whom he succeeded, was also big on transportation and got the CTA's Orange Line built during the Reagan administration.

Very good choice, IMO.

 

[jis]

How about bringing back Ray LaHood?
He is also a former (Republican) Illinois congressman and was DOT secretary for Obama's 2nd term. He knows the turf. He was one of the main supporters of High Speed Rail.

Man! The execution of the HSR program in the Obama administration was quite atrocious IMHO. Trying to distribute crumbs to try to win over red constituents did not prove to be a winning strategy, and all that happened was everything got delayed by many years and the final result was less than spectacular. I hope the same mistake that the likes of Ray presided over are not repeated.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Favorite candidate right now is LA mayor, Eric Garcetti.

 

[Dakota 400]

Favorite candidate right now is LA mayor, Eric Garcetti.

Why? Why would he be a good choice?

 

[me_little_me]

Man! The execution of the HSR program in the Obama administration was quite atrocious IMHO. Trying to distribute crumbs to try to win over red constituents did not prove to be a winning strategy, and all that happened was everything got delayed by many years and the final result was less than spectacular. I hope the same mistake that the likes of Ray presided over are not repeated.

I agree. I had hoped to see, that once Florida rejected the money, that it would be used where it would best work on a distance long enough to mean something, yet short enough to not take a lifetime fighting NIMBYs so the concept would become real to Americans.
My vote would have been for Charlotte to Richmond/DC because both states support rail. Eventually, if Georgia saw the light, Atlanta could have been the first extension.

 

[Seaboard92]

I have a really odd ball pick..... myself.

Qualifications
1. I understand fleet utilization
2. I understand most of the operating jobs in both the airline and railroad industries
3. I have a 4.0 GPA in Political Science
4. I know how to delegate a job.
5. I understand transit oriented development.
6. I understand why a multi-modal transportation system is important and have ideas on how to aid in that multi-modal future.
7. I know how to research and write academic level plans to solve solutions.
8. A belief in the solving the stem of the problem and not the problem itself. Knowing that if you cure the stem the problem goes away.
9. I have a vested interest in the success of the transportation industry.
10. I'm relatively young so there are no skeletons in my closet at a confirmation hearing.


And the next great reason. I will work for food, lodging, and a low hourly wage.

In all seriousness though maybe someone like Wick Moorman, or another railroad CEO.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Why? Why would he be a good choice?

LA public transit got a big boost under his tenure.

 

[Asher]

LA public transit got a big boost under his tenure.

With Snoop Dogg at the grand opening of the new A line

 

[Shawn Ryu]

With Snoop Dogg at the grand opening of the new A lineView attachment 19598

You might be in better position to let us know if its a good pick or not.

Anyways its not confirmed. Just a rumor.

 

[bms]

I'm fine with a politician as the Secretary of Transportation, but I would really like to see Biden fill Amtrak's Board of Directors with people with experience in the railroad industry. Amtrak's Board should no longer be used as a consolation prize for members of Congress who got voted out of office.

 

[jiml]

I have a really odd ball pick..... myself.

Qualifications
1. I understand fleet utilization
2. I understand most of the operating jobs in both the airline and railroad industries
3. I have a 4.0 GPA in Political Science
4. I know how to delegate a job.
5. I understand transit oriented development.
6. I understand why a multi-modal transportation system is important and have ideas on how to aid in that multi-modal future.
7. I know how to research and write academic level plans to solve solutions.
8. A belief in the solving the stem of the problem and not the problem itself. Knowing that if you cure the stem the problem goes away.
9. I have a vested interest in the success of the transportation industry.
10. I'm relatively young so there are no skeletons in my closet at a confirmation hearing.


And the next great reason. I will work for food, lodging, and a low hourly wage.

In all seriousness though maybe someone like Wick Moorman, or another railroad CEO.

Send him your resume.

 

[MARC Rider]

I have a really odd ball pick..... myself.

Qualifications
1. I understand fleet utilization
2. I understand most of the operating jobs in both the airline and railroad industries
3. I have a 4.0 GPA in Political Science
4. I know how to delegate a job.
5. I understand transit oriented development.
6. I understand why a multi-modal transportation system is important and have ideas on how to aid in that multi-modal future.
7. I know how to research and write academic level plans to solve solutions.
8. A belief in the solving the stem of the problem and not the problem itself. Knowing that if you cure the stem the problem goes away.
9. I have a vested interest in the success of the transportation industry.
10. I'm relatively young so there are no skeletons in my closet at a confirmation hearing.


And the next great reason. I will work for food, lodging, and a low hourly wage.

In all seriousness though maybe someone like Wick Moorman, or another railroad CEO.

You don't have to offer to work for cheap, I believe that the salary for cabinet officers is set by law.

But seriously,

In addition to airlines. railroads and truckers, DOT also has responsibility for highways and marine/barge traffic. They also do stuff like regulate auto fuel economy (in cooperation with EPA) and auto safety standards.

You might not want to be Secretary of DOT, but I could see that there would be a place for you in a professional position. Keep your eyes peeled on USAJOBS.gov:
https://www.usajobs.gov/

 

[Bob Dylan]

You don't have to offer to work for cheap, I believe that the salary for cabinet officers is set by law.

But seriously,

In addition to airlines. railroads and truckers, DOT also has responsibility for highways and marine/barge traffic. They also do stuff like regulate auto fuel economy (in cooperation with EPA) and auto safety standards.

You might not want to be Secretary of DOT, but I could see that there would be a place for you in a professional position. Keep your eyes peeled on USAJOBS.gov:
https://www.usajobs.gov/

Veep of Operations would probably be a great spot for you( if a good person was named CEO and let you do your job!)

 

[Asher]

You might be in better position to let us know if its a good pick or not.

Anyways its not confirmed. Just a rumor.

I don't know who to praise or blame. LA Has a terrible transit system. Although, it is improving.

 

[Andrew]

I think that John D. Porcari would be an excellent choice.

 

[Seaboard92]

Veep of Operations would probably be a great spot for you( if a good person was named CEO and let you do your job!)

I agree I would love that job. The amount of tweaking in the network that would be happening would be unprecedented in the last few years. First things I would change.

Interlining the Silver Meteor and Lakeshore Limited to share equipment. If you push the LSL EB from Chicago to the Capitol's slot, and push the SM SB three or four hours later you can save two sets of equipment. Shut down the NYC OBS base for the LSL move it to MIA where the cost of living is lower and save on two OBS crews too.

The Ohio State Limited, and a NY-Detroit night train are high on my list. Using the equipment saved from the LSL/SM changes.

 

[jis]

Wouldn't you use at least one saved set to make the Cardinal daily, CSX willing of course? You could possibly go for the gold with the splitting of it at Indy to send a section to St Louis too, but that would probably eat up the other saved set too.