Rail Passengers Congratulate Buttigieg on Role as Transpo. Chief

For Immediate Release (20-12)

Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail (202) 320-2723; [email protected]

Rail Passengers Welcome “Mayor Pete” to Role as Transportation Chief

Washington, D.C – The Rail Passengers Association congratulated Pete Buttigieg today on his nomination as secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“Mayors are the frontline officials in the campaign to rebuild U.S. infrastructure,” said Jim Mathews, President and CEO of Rail Passengers. “As a small-town mayor—and, more specifically, as an Amtrak mayor—Buttigieg will understand the challenges that come with keeping people physically connected to economic opportunity, the inadequacies of existing federal transportation programs, and the unacceptable timelines for review that delay far too many projects. We look forward to working with the incoming secretary on fixing those problems and connecting all Americans to a growing passenger rail network—whether they live on Wall Street or Main Street.”

Buttigieg served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana between 2012 and 2020. During his tenure, he was a vocal advocate for development of the South Shore Line and the extension of rail service to downtown South Bend, saying that residents "at every level of our economic ladder" would have more opportunities "if the heart of our city was 90 minutes away by train from the heart of one of the most dynamic economic centers in the world.”

All Americans deserve these kinds of opportunities, and our association stands ready to assist Buttigieg in making this a reality.

About Rail Passengers Association

The Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works and plays in towns all across America.

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