Metrolink CEO Brief – September 27, 2019
Testifying for Metrolink on Capitol Hill
On Tuesday, I was honored to represent Metrolink and testify before the House of Representatives on the challenges and opportunities faced by commuter railroads and to ask Congress for the support we need to serve our region.
You can read my testimony before the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee here and the video of the committee hearing is here. Also testifying were APTA President and CEO, Paul P. Skoutelas, Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski and Sound Transit CEO Peter Rogoff.
My testimony highlighted Metrolink’s many accomplishments, including our record ridership, our leadership on PTC implementation and the deep commitment we all share on safety that was illustrated during our Safety Summit on Sept. 12. I also told committee members about Metrolink’s great potential.
In addition to our progress, we face challenges going forward related to funding for necessary capital projects and state of good repair.
I respectfully asked the subcommittee for three considerations:
- Provide full eligibility to the CRISI Program for commuter rail as a qualified applicant
- Provide substantially more funding for critical railroad crossing and right of way improvements to deter trespassing and reduce railroad crossing incidents to keep people safe
- Include dedicated new funding for commuter rail in the surface transportation authorization bill that does not supplant existing funding sources
We will continue to work with our own California delegation and hope to move these initiatives forward.
Metrolink CFO Ronnie Campbell Named CFO of the Year
He won! Last night, Metrolink’s Chief Financial Officer Ronnie Campbell was named the CFO of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal. I nominated Ronnie for the award in recognition of his many contributions to Metrolink since joining in 2016.
Among Ronnie’s accomplishments is an increase in our balance sheet by $43 million and improved cash flow through spending controls and process improvements. For this year’s budget process, Ronnie successfully advanced a multi-year budget to be more strategic in fiscal management, reduce staff time devoted to budget development, encourage more fiscal discipline and establish a more policy-oriented budget process.
Congratulations and thank you for your contributions to our organization, Ronnie!
Upon joining Metrolink, Ronnie re-established trust with the Board of Directors and Member Agencies after years of complex budget issues. Through his guidance, Metrolink’s $130+ million investment portfolio has been skillfully managed. Under his leadership, Metrolink’s Finance Department was awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR) in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Ronnie earned his Bachelor of Science from San Diego State University and a Master of Science degree in Leadership Management from the University of Laverne. He is an active member of his church in Long Beach, where he sings in the choir and works with the finance team and board of directors.
Sharing Progress on the SCORE Program
Yesterday, I presented to the Metro Board of Directors the latest information on the Southern California Optimized Rail Expansion (SCORE) the 10-year, $10 billion plan to improve the regional rail system prior to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
As a part of the presentation, I shared the significant socioeconomic impact SCORE will have on Los Angeles – adding jobs, growing our region’s GDP, and bringing more riders to Metro. It was an honor to return to Metro to share this news – you can watch an exciting new video I shared here.
SCORE enables more frequent, reliable and faster service on Metrolink and Amtrak (LOSSAN), providing an alternative to crowded freeways and helps reduce air pollution. Included in SCORE are targeted investments for operational and capacity improvements at Los Angeles Union Station and on tracks between Burbank and Fullerton, one of the busiest passenger and freight corridors in the region.
Metrolink has secured $875.7 million in funding commitments over six years from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP).
Team Metrolink Cares Walks for Heart Health This Weekend
Saturday is the big day when Team Metrolink Cares, with it's expected 70 participants, walks in the American Heart Association’s 5K Heart Walk at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Join us as we support the fight against heart disease and stroke -- this country's No. 1 and No. 5 killers. As of today, we've raised $5,274!
The walk begins at 9 a.m. but get there early to enjoy the festivities. Team Metrolink Cares participants will receive a free roundtrip ticket and an opportunity to win prizes at the Metrolink booth.
There is still time to join the Heart Walk, so please REGISTER ONLINE.
In addition to the Pasadena Heart Walk, Team Metrolink Cares will participate in Heart Walks in Antelope Valley at Pelona Vista Park on Nov. 2 and Santa Clarita at Bridgeport Park on Nov. 9. I hope to see you in Pasadena Saturday morning.
Annual Meeting Brings Regional Transportation Leaders to Orange County
Today, I joined with transportation leaders from throughout the region at the Mobility 21 Southern California Transportation Summit in Anaheim. The conference centers around the challenges we face as an industry and collaborating to find solutions.
I participated with other regional transportation leaders on a panel discussion on “Cracking the Code of Transit Ridership” moderated by Dr. James Moore, professor of industrial systems engineering at USC. I was asked to share how our customer-first approach helps us achieve record ridership, even as other transportation systems across the country are seeing declines.
Nationally, transit ridership is declining, and the use of passenger cars is increasing. The panel addressed the question: Is there is a way to make transit more competitive again? Metrolink has a good story to tell on this subject. Despite the downward trend, Metrolink had record ridership of nearly 12 million in the last fiscal year. That capped five consecutive years of increasing ridership. I discussed the Metrolink foundational value of safety and customer-centered commitment as contributing to our success.
Transportation leaders tackled issues such as the evolution of goods movement, mobility on demand, getting to zero emissions, state and federal priorities, transportation innovations and the cost of driving. As a Mobility 21 Board Member, I’d like to thank our Chair, San Bernardino County Transportation Authority Executive Director, Dr. Raymond Wolfe for his leadership.