• This week CRC joined the Association of American Railroads (AAR), American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), and American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in submitting comments in support of FRA’s NPRM to rescind the final rule establishing dispatcher certification requirements in 49 CFR part 245.

• The U.S. Court of Appeals this week upheld the Federal Railroad Administration’s 2024 Crew Size Rule mandating minimum two-person crews.

• Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Dina Titus (D-NV) and all 28 other T&I Democrats have written Secretary Duffy asking for information regarding the administration’s rescission of grants to states that did not vote for President Trump in the 2024 election.

  
  “During your tenure as Secretary, we have routinely asked for details on the actions of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on the review and withholding of grants from critical infrastructure projects, and the answers we have received to date have been incomplete,” the members wrote.

  “Terminating or awarding grants solely based on the political leanings of grant recipients or the opinion of the Secretary of Transportation on acceptable means of transport is an unprecedented skewing of federal transportation dollars and runs contrary to statute and Congressional intent,” the members continued.
   
  The members asked DOT to provide information regarding the projects and funds withheld or rescinded, the political identity of the affected communities, and the specific grant terms that resulted in termination.
   
  To read the full letter, click here.
   

  Per Politico, the letter was prompted by recent court filings in a lawsuit brought by several researchers within the University of California system challenging grant cuts last year by a variety of agencies, including DOT.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, August 12, 2026 – The Commuter Rail Coalition (CRC), the national association representing commuter rail agencies and operators, today announced a national search for its next Chief Executive Officer. The search marks the beginning of a leadership transition for the organization founded by KellyAnne Gallagher in 2019.

Gallagher, who has served as the Coalition’s founding CEO since its inception, announced earlier this year that she will step down in April 2027 after eight years of building the CRC into a unified national voice for the commuter rail industry and a respected advocate with policymakers in Washington.

Under Gallagher’s leadership, the CRC has grown from a nascent association into a national organization focused on advancing the interests of commuter railroads and the millions of passengers they serve. The Coalition has brought commuter rail leaders together around shared priorities, elevated the industry’s profile in Washington, and strengthened its ability to engage federal policymakers on the issues that matter most to the future of commuter rail.

The national CEO search for Gallagher’s successor is being managed by Debbie Taylor of Taylor Transportation Search Group, and the posting can be found here.

Read the full press release here.

VRE has announced plans to run service on Sunday, August 23. Per an agency press release, “This is an exciting step towards our goal of offering more travel options and flexibility to our riders while also providing needed congestion relief to area roadways, particularly during high-demand special events such as the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.”

Multiple trains will operate on the Manassas and Fredericksburg Lines, running north to Alexandria in the morning, and serving all VRE stations from Union Station southbound in the afternoon through evening.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. Reach out for details HERE.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Commuter railroads scramble to meet 24% jump in liability insurance coverage requirements (Smart Cities Dive)

• Caltrain fiscal issues compounded by small but consequential federal update (The Daily Journal)

• Reduced transportation funding approved by Senate in stopgap bill (Smart Cities Dive)

• Utah’s FrontRunner 2X Commuter Rail Project Reaches Critical Phase (RT&S)

• DART sets record for rider satisfaction (Progressive Railroading)

• What Transit-Oriented Development Means for the Future of Public Transportation (METRO)

• Democrats Accuse Trump Administration of Stonewalling Major Transit Projects (New York Times)

• Shipper Groups, BNSF to STB: ‘Deny’ UP-NS Amended Merger Application (Railway Age)

• Seven state attorneys general say UP, NS fail to make public-interest case for merger (TrainsPro)

• Oklahoma transit agency opposes UP-NS merger; most have yet to take a position (TrainsPro)

• NJ Transit Warns: Commuters At Risk In Proposed Freight Rail Merger (New Jersey Spotlight News)

• FTA grants $1.28B for Utah commuter rail (Smart Cities Dive)

• Commuter Rail Coalition launches search for next CEO (Progressive Railroading)

• CRC Begins Search for Next CEO (Railway Age)

• Commuter Rail Coalition begins search for new CEO (TrainsPro)

• Trinity Metro Celebrates TRE Double-Track Project Groundbreaking (RT&S)

• Federal Court Upholds FRA Two-Person Crew Rule—But it’s Not Over Just Yet (Railway Age)