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Jim Mathews

Jim Mathews leads the DC-based professional staff of the Rail Passengers Association as President & CEO, where he is responsible for strategy, policy, and business operations. He appears frequently in national media, and also testifies before Congress and regulatory bodies. Mathews serves on eight Federal advisory panels across DOT, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Surface Transportation Board, representing the Association’s 127,000 members, donors, and supporters, plus the 40 million Americans who rely every year on trains and public transportation. As a member of the DOT’s National Advisory Committee on Travel & Tourism Infrastructure, he was principal drafter of the NACTTI final report to Congress and DOT in 2020.

Op-Ed: Elon Musk Is Wrong About Amtrak

No, America should not privatize Amtrak "like China." But we could learn a thing or two from their rail success. (Spoiler: it's largely state-funded.)

March 10, 2025

Op-Ed: Amtrak Isn’t Profitable — And That’s Okay

"As a for-profit company, Amtrak fails ... spectacularly. As a government agency, created half a century ago to carry out a public purpose recognized in law and in Supreme Court rulings, it is a spectacular success worth celebrating, supporting, and building up."

February 10, 2025