The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) appealed directly to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Bill Shuster (R-PA) for increased support of Amtrak’s long-distance trains. In a letter to Shuster, NARP urged the congressman to look for a “fresh approach” that would encourage expanded rather than reduced capacity on Amtrak’s “popular, heavily used long-distance trains.”
Amtrak’s profitable Northeast Corridor is where Pennsylvania Republican Bill Shuster wants the priority for federal investment in passenger rail — even if that may mean cuts to money-losing long-distance trains. TCU maintains that full funding is required for long-distance service as well. “This is the jewel in Amtrak’s crown,” Shuster said, referring to the Northeast Corridor
IAM has sent a letter to Congress urging them to confirm the appointments to the NLRB, “On behalf of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, we respectfully urge you to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) to Senator Mitch
Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades department (TTD – AFL-CIO) of which TCU is a member, testified before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I). The subject of the April 24th panel was “Overview of the United States Freight Transportation System.” President Wytkind stated, “Without transportation workers, goods would travel only as far as
A healthy vibrant freight rail industry is the backbone of the U.S. economy, supporting thousands of vital TCU/IAM jobs and investing record amounts of private capital needed to sustain and grow the nation’s rail system. The 112th Congress rejected proposals by the Trucking Industry to increase truck size and weight allowances. Alternatively, the 2013 Transportation Bill
As Congress prepares to deliberate this year over the rewrite of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), we have the opportunity to make things right and finally match our pursuit of a modern economy with a modern transportation system. With 31 million riders and growing popularity, Amtrak had its best year ever in
Amtrak lost $361 million in 2012, the lowest loss in 38 years. In statements by Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman that is good news that will help him make his case to Congress for a boost in capital investment. “We think the numbers are right. Now it’s time to start talking about what policies
Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that an overhaul of the government-subsidized carrier’s corporate structure initiated last year is beginning to have an effect. “When we’re done, Amtrak will look more like a business and less like a government agency,” Boardman told the panel. “And customers will find
In a recent release from the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) of which TCU is a member, President Ed Wytkind said “Too many in Washington are fixated on cutting public spending to balance the budget, not on how to put people back to work and get our economy moving.” As TTD has advocated throughout the
Working Americans have cause to celebrate. Thanks in large part to the volunteer efforts of union members throughout this country, President Obama has been reelected, and pro-union Senators like Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin, and Sherrod Brown in Ohio have emerged victorious. TCU played its part. We wrote each of you about
