• Nearly 300 industry leaders gather in Washington, D.C., to discuss key passenger rail corridors and the economic, social, and environmental benefits high-speed rail projects will bring to their regions and the nation.
  • Featured speakers include Ray LaHood, former US Transportation Secretary and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Amit Bose, Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA); Jennifer Mitchell, Deputy Administrator, FRA; and leaders from the International Union of Railways (UIC), AMTRAK and state departments of transportation.
  • APTA honors Jolene Molitoris, the first woman to serve as FRA Administrator, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Washington, D.C. (March 15, 2023) – Today, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) held its 2023 High-Speed Rail Seminar, Connecting America’s Cities, in Washington, D.C. Nearly 300 industry leaders and advocates gathered to discuss the growing pipeline of projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and to honor the lifetime achievements of the first female administrator at the Federal Rail Administration (FRA).

“The coming years bring great opportunity to unleash the economic power of our megaregions, to enable equitable and affordable access and opportunity, and to create short-term and permanent American jobs,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. “Those national benefits can be achieved by building a robust high-speed and intercity passenger rail network that is environmentally friendly, resilient, and sustainable.”

FRA Administrator Amit Bose and Deputy Administrator Jennifer Mitchell delivered opening and closing remarks, respectively, and leaders from the International Union of Railways shared global trends in advancing high-speed rail.

“We appreciate FRA Administrator Bose for sharing his vision and passion for advancing high-performing passenger rail,” Skoutelas said.

“APTA Board Chair Dorval Carter and I were honored to be delegates at the recent World Congress on high-speed rail held in Morocco. The global trends in advancing high-speed rail are truly impressive. America is now positioned for notable breakthroughs,” Skoutelas added.

APTA also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Jolene Molitoris, the first woman to lead the Federal Railroad Administration. During her tenure, Molitoris championed rail safety in the U.S. and around the world, establishing zero tolerance for any safety hazard as the industry standard, creating safety partnerships with rail labor and management and achieving historic increases in all safety categories as a result.

“Jolene Molitoris has been a trailblazer and catalyst for change in so many ways. Her contributions to APTA as Chair of the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Committee and as an active business member have been invaluable in moving our industry to the historic place it is today,” said Skoutelas.

For more information about APTA’s High-Speed Rail Seminar, visit Connecting America’s Cities.

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