New group champions rail rights for states

Testifying before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, the newly formed Association of Independent Rail Operators (AIPRO) last week advanced a three-point proposal entitled “Finding Ways to Encourage and Increase Private Sector Participation in Passenger Rail Service.”

AIPRO says it believes “states should embrace their Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act-given (PRIAA) rights to introduce competition into bidding for the operation of their state-supported passenger services.” AIPRO says the goal is to “encourage competitiveness that will ultimately reduce cost to the traveling public.”

Testifying before the House committee March 11, AIPRO Secretary and Treasurer Stan Feinsod outlined the group’s three recommendations: 1. Provide states with a budget-neutral option of completely manageing passenger rail corridor service, offering a special initiative for the Northeast Corridor to explore high speed rail alternatives; 2. Reform and expand PRIIA’s Alternative Passenger Rail Service Pilot Program to become a freestanding, competitive alternative to current service and the Intercity State Corridor Program, which, under AIPRO’s model, would be under state authority; and Establish a Passenger Rail Infrastructure Bank that leverages grants and loans bky expanding the deficit-neutral Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program.

3. “In order to create a passenger rail network that is competitive with those being operated inother parts of the world, states must exercise their right to control passenger rail corridors and allow for competitive bidding,” AIPRO Executive Director Ray Chambers said in a statement.