(Source: Bostonglobe.com)

In the half-month since the Senate nearly slashed mass transit from the stimulus bill, yet more locales broke ridership records from coast to coast. The New York City subway system moved 1.62 billion people last year, the most since 1950. Combined with buses, the city moved 2.37 billion people, the most since 1965. The Metro-North rail that services the suburbs outside New York carried a record 84 million passengers.

In the Pacific Northwest, the Amtrak Cascades line from Portland to Seattle set a new record with a 14.4 percent increase. In the South, ridership for the Piedmonttrain between Charlotte and Raleigh was up 30.8 percent last year.

Click here to read the full article.

YPT is happy to announce our February Leadership Seminar with Amtrak Board Chair Donna McLean.

When:

Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009

6:00 to 7:30pm

 Where:

PB Consult

1401 K Street NW, Ste. 300

Washington, DC 20005

[Northwest corner of 14th and K St.; Metrorail – Blue/Orange to McPherson Square]

Ms. McLean serves on the Amtrak Board of Directors and currently is Chair of the Board.

In her last position in the Federal government, Ms. McLean was at the US Department of Transportation serving as the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer under Secretary Norman Y. Mineta.  In her position, Ms. McLean was responsible for developing the $60 billion President’s budget request for the Department of Transportation. 

Prior to CFO of DOT, she was the Assistant Secretary for Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer of the Federal Aviation Administration.  Ms. McLean was also a professional staff member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for nearly seven years.  In addition, she has worked at the Office of Management and Budget on the President’s budget as well as the regulatory agenda.

In 2003, Donna McLean established, DONNA McLEAN Associates, LLC, a Washington, DC based consulting firm specializing in transportation policy.  In addition, she is an adjunct Professor for Indiana University’s Washington Leadership Program.

Please join us on February 19 to discuss transportation policy and the nation’s rail service.