A group of current and former transportation industry executives announced the launch of the Commuter Rail Coalition, an association representing the interests, needs and benefits of the nation’s commuter railroads.
The Commuter Rail Coalition is comprised of commuter rail agencies, operators, and other interested parties, acting together to engage and educate stakeholders and communitieson the value of commuter railroads. The coalition will give a stronger voice in Washington to the safest mode of surface transportation, according to a statement. Commuter rail transportation delivers 490 million passenger trips annually, reduces congestion, decreases commuters’ carbon footprints, and increases property values as well as a region’s tax base.
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“Commuter railroads need the focus in Washington that brings our issues forward. By coming together as a single group, the Commuter Rail Coalition allows us to leverage our collective voices on the issues that matter.” – Jim Derwinski, chair
The group is governed by an executive committee consisting of Jim Derwinski, CEO/executive director of Metra (Chicago), Doug Kelsey, GM, TriMet (Portland, Oregon), and Steven Abrams, executive director of SFRTA/Tri-Rail (South Florida). The Commuter Rail Coalition’s founding executive director is KellyAnne Gallagher, most recently director of regulatory affairs, corporate standards and benchmarking for the NY MTA.
In addition, founders and founding members also include Tom Prendergast, former chairman and CEO of the NY MTA; Joe Giulietti, commissioner, Connecticut DOT; Matthew O. Tucker, executive director, North County Transit District (Oceanside, CA); Kevin Corbett, executive director, New Jersey Transit; Pat Warren, former executive director of the Federal Railroad Administration; Mike Noland, president, Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District; and John Cline, senior managing director, FTI Consulting.
The railroad has issued a formal request for proposals to manufacturers for more than 800 new passenger railcars that will serve 14 long-distance routes nationwide.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
In addition to new projects, progress continues on a multiyear effort to upgrade track, electrical, and signal systems on the Metra Electric Line to accommodate the expansion of service on the South Shore Line.
