VRE Names Dalton as Its Permanent CEO

The two governing bodies that oversee the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) named Rich Dalton as the commuter rail system’s CEO.

Dalton, who was appointed VRE’s acting CEO in November 2019, will lead VRE, navigating the current pandemic and ensuring future growth. In hiring Dalton, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission affirmed the recommendation of the VRE Operations Board.

A seasoned rail-operations veteran, Dalton has been with VRE for 11 years as deputy CEO and COO and, more recently, acting CEO. He previously served as acting CEO in 2012. Among his accomplishments, Dalton led VRE’s multi-year effort to implement positive train control (PTC). In April 2019, VRE became the nation’s sixth rail system to operate under PTC.

Prior to joining VRE, Dalton spent 19 years in private industry with a global leader in passenger and freight rail. He is a military veteran, having served as a petty officer in the U.S. Navy.