Frank Wilner delivered a presentation on Railroads as Change Agents
Friday, March 15, 2013 at Baruch College
On March 15, 2013, UTRC presented a Visiting Scholar Seminar with the transportation expert, Frank N. Wilner; an economist and a journalist. He shared his perception on the American railroad industry with an insight into Wilner’s latest book, “Amtrak: Past, Present, Future”. Frank is an economist and journalist who has written six books on railroad economics, labor relations and public policy, discussed his latest book, “Amtrak: Past, Present, Future,” published by Simmons-Boardman Books of Omaha, Neb.
Wilner discussed the book in the context of how railroads have been a change agent in American public policy, being the first industry subject to economic, safety and labor relations regulation, the first subject to injured-worker compensation, and the first the first required to provide retirement/pension plan predating Social Security. The reasons for creation of Amtrak were examined, as well as the public policy fights that have bedeviled Amtrak and its yearly begging treks to Capitol Hill to keep its passenger trains operating.
Wilner also discussed the little-known matter of Amtrak’s common stock, which is held by an insurance conglomerate, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, and how the common stock ownership may prevent privatization of Amtrak and its Northeast Corridor that connects Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston. He also reviewed some of the dreadful marketing/finance decisions of Amtrak and what he calls the “dreadful” decisions of the Obama administration with regard to creating higher- and high-speed rail in the United States.
Railway Age magazine once described Wilner as perhaps the only person who has interacted with railroads from myriad perspectives – as a railroad officer, a White House appointed regulator, a journalist and rail-union official.
Frank also presented at NJIT on March 14th, 2013, at their headquarters.
For more information on this presentation, please visit the website at: http://www.utrc2.org/events/railroads-change-agents
Sam Schwartz presented on “MOVE NY. Faster. Smarter. Fairer”, a UTRC Sponsored Event
Thursday, March 28, 2013 at Baruch College
Sam Schwartz, president and CEO of Sam Schwartz (SSE) presented a talk on March 28, 2013. Mr. Schwartz has been working on transportation issues in the city ever since the Lindsay Administration. (And even before that, as a New York City cab driver.) In early March, Schwartz, a traffic engineer and former New York City Department of Transportation traffic commissioner, released his most unconventional idea yet, a blueprint of sorts for the future of New York City’s transportation infrastructure. He called his plan the “More Equitable Transportation Formula for NY Metro Area.”
In his presentation, Schwartz discussed his proposed plan “fair pricing,” which adds tolls to the East River bridges (which are currently free) while also lowering the tolls on the bridges that do not enter Manhattan, such as the Throgs Neck and the Verrazano-Narrows. The goal is to discourage people from driving into “the central business district,” a.k.a. Manhattan.
For more information on this presentation, please visit the website at: http://www.utrc2.org/events/equitable-transportation-formula-ny-metro-a…
UTRC and BWRC hosted a symposium on Bikes and the Brooklyn Waterfront: Past, Present and Future
Friday, March 22, 2013 at CityTech (CUNY)
A half-day symposium on the evolving culture and impact of the bicycle in Brooklyn presented by The Brooklyn Waterfront Research Center & The University Transportation Research Center
Biking is booming in Brooklyn and we want to know why. On March 22nd, UTRC and BWRC hosted a half-day conference on the history, culture, and future of biking in our namesake borough. There were presentations from local authors, business people, planners and advocates about what is happening on our streets and why it matters to Brooklyn and New York City.
For more information, please visit the website at: http://www.utrc2.org/events/symposium-bikes-and-brooklyn-waterfront
UTRC Faculty and Staff Attended the 92nd Annual TRB Meeting
Tuesday - Saturday, January 22nd – 26th, 2012, Washington, D.C.
UTRC staff and consortium faculty participated at the 91st Transportation Research Board Meeting held from January 22nd – 26th 2012. There were more than 90 papers and presentations delivered at TRB from UTRC Consortium faculty covering all kind of transportation related topics; Aviation, Bridges, Finance, Economics, Freight, Operations & Traffic Management, Pedestrian and Bicyclists, Policy and Safety, just to name a few.
UTRC has compiled a list of all these presentations in a compendium available online at http://www.utrc2.org/ events/assets/
New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Annual Meeting
Saturday, February 26, 2013 at U.S. Custom House, NY
UTRC staff attended the NYMTC annual meeting held on February 26, 2013 at the US Custom House Auditorium in Manhattan. Council members gathered for NYMTC’s 2013 Annual Meeting to discuss Hurricane Sandy and its effects on the region’s transportation system.
The Council also took action on a number of items including adopting the 2013 – 2014 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and recognizing the work of several members, including Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, who participated in his last Annual Meeting.
The presentations and a webcast of the speakers are available at NYMTC’s website at: http://nymtc.org/