Happening Now
Rail Passengers DC Office Operating Remotely
March 15, 2020
Staff Will Work Remotely, Following Health Professionals' Recommendations
D.C. Office Temporarily Closed, Staff To Telework
Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews decided Sunday to close -- temporarily -- the Association's D.C. headquarters office to staff, office volunteers and visitors as a temporary measure.
In response to the coronavirus outbreak and its rapid spread, health departments in the D.C. area are urging those who can telework to do so, and the Rail Passengers team will do its part to reduce strain on services and limit interpersonal contact.
Although the office at 1200 G St. NW, Suite 240, will be closed, the team will continue our work via cloud computing, remote tools and audio and video conferencing. Office phone calls will be redirected to staff members' personal phones during business hours only.
The restriction on staff and visitors to the office is only temporary, and we will reopen our work site as soon as is practical.
"This step was not taken lightly," said Mathews. "Mass gatherings are now prohibited in the District and in Virginia, and health professionals are recommending that people who have the ability to telework do so. Our team has been operating on 'the cloud' since 2015, and recently was able to upgrade online video- and audio-conferencing tools at no additional charge. Because the team has the ability to be productive remotely, safety and prudence dictate that we follow sound epidemiological practice and keep the staff and volunteers at home."
"It is an honor to be recognized by the Rail Passengers Association for my efforts to strengthen and expand America’s passenger rail. Golden spikes were once used by railroads to mark the completion of important rail projects, so I am truly grateful to receive the Golden Spike Award as a way to mark the end of a career that I’ve spent fighting to invest in our country’s rail system. As Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, it has been my priority to bolster funding for Amtrak, increase and expand routes, look to the future by supporting high-speed projects, and improve safety, culminating in $66 billion in new funding in the Bipartisan infrastructure Law."
Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04)
March 30, 2022, on receiving the Association's Golden Spike Award for his years of dedication and commitment to passenger rail.
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