Join agency and industry leaders this fall for the annual Commuter Rail Summit designed to advance the partnerships, strategies, and operational insights shaping the future of regional rail.
The 2026 Commuter Rail Summit brings together agency executives, policymakers, operators, suppliers, consultants, and industry partners for a high-value, relationship-driven gathering focused on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing commuter rail.
In an intimate setting built for practical discussion and direct connection, attendees will participate in executive conversations, technical tours, peer exchanges, networking events, and regional mobility experiences hosted by Trinity Metro, DART, and DCTA.
Together, participants will examine how commuter rail agencies and their partners are strengthening service, expanding regional connectivity, preparing for major events, advancing transit-oriented development, applying emerging technologies, and building resilient organizations.
Summit Sponsors:
WHAT TO EXPECT
Convene for two-plus days of focused programming, executive dialogue, peer-to-peer discussion, and technical tours highlighting North Texas’s regional rail operations.
Connect with agency leaders, policymakers, colleagues, and private-sector partners through curated networking opportunities including the Welcome Reception, Awards Dinner, Golf Outing, and technical tours.
Collaborate on practical approaches to shared industry priorities, including operations, safety, workforce, funding, governance, technology, regional integration, and customer experience.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Agency CEOs, deputies, executives, and senior leadership teams.
Operations, safety, marketing, communications, public affairs, and government affairs professionals.
OEMs, suppliers, consultants, contractors, and other commuter rail partners.
WHY FORT WORTH?
With rapid growth and major infrastructure investments, Fort Worth and the broader North Texas region offer a timely setting for this year’s Summit. Together, Trinity Metro, DART, and DCTA are demonstrating how commuter rail supports regional mobility at scale.
Attendees will see firsthand how our host agencies are working together to connect communities, support economic development, and strengthen access across one of the country’s fastest-growing regions.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT THE WORTHINGTON RENAISSANCE
The Summit headquarters hotel is the Worthington Renaissance (a Marriott property) in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square. CRC’s negotiated hotel rate is $229/night (+ tax). As we near capacity in our block of rooms, please reach out if you have any difficulty making a reservation.
YOUR SUMMIT REGISTRATION INCLUDES
Full Summit registration includes Monday’s Welcome Reception, Tuesday’s Champions of Commuter Rail Awards Dinner, breakfasts, lunch, breaks, and technical tours with Trinity Metro, DART, and DCTA.
Registration is limited to 225 guests and all registrations must be paid in advance to be considered complete. (Unpaid “registrations” will be cancelled on October 26.) Due to capacity constraints, on-site registration will not be available.
REGISTRATION DETAILS
CRC members may register for $995. Non-member registration is $1,350, subject to capacity.
A la carte tickets are available for select evening events for guests not attending the full Summit.
Monday’s Welcome Reception: $225 Members/$250 Non-Members
Tuesday Evening’s Cocktail Hour & Awards Dinner: $275/$300
Both the Welcome Reception & Tuesday’s Awards Dinner: $500/$550
(These events are already included in full registration rate; no need to “double book.”)
Change of plans? Transfer your registration to a colleague at no cost through October 26. Or, if you need to cancel, a 50% administrative fee applies for cancellations received after October 15.
The Summit schedule includes the annual CRC Golf Outing, Welcome Reception at Cowtown Coliseum, program sessions at The Worthington Renaissance, the Champions of Commuter Rail Awards Dinner at the historic T& P Station, and technical tours highlighting dispatch operations, regional rail connectivity, transit-oriented development, and host-agency service across North Texas.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Schedule subject to change.
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9 AM
CRC’s Annual Golf Outing to support Summit Fellowships for students takes place at Rockwood Park Golf Course. $285/golfer, includes lunch and prizes. Clubs are available for rent on prior arrangement.
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8 AM Optional Technical Tour: Regional Rail Dispatch Center & Regional PTC Center
We’ll ride Trinity Railway Express (TRE) from Fort Worth Central Station to TRE CentrePort/DFW Airport
Station, and then shuttle to Herzog Regional Rail Dispatch. The visit will include an orientation as well as
observation of Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Rail Operations.· Dispatch of 86 miles of commuter rail – TRE (33 miles), Trinity Metro’s TexRail (27 miles), and DART’s Silver Line (26 miles).
· Dispatch of Class I Railroads BNSF, Union Pacific, and CPKC; Short Line Railroad Fort Worth & Western Railroad, and DGNO; and Excursion Train Grapevine Vintage Railroad.
Then it’s off to Herzog Regional PTC Center for a facility tour and Q&A before returning by shuttle bus to the Conference Hotel.
1 2 – 4:30 PM CRC Board Meeting at Marriott Worthington (CRC members only/RSVP Required). Lunch provided.
6 – 8:30 PM Welcome Reception at Cowtown Coliseum, in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.
Pack your hat and dust off your boots for a Texas-sized welcome in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, the epicenter of cowboy culture. There will be longhorns and armadillos, a full-blown rodeo, plus bites and beverages to sate the appetite. Come prepared for fun.
Demonstrations and hands-on activities will include animals.
Title Sponsor: Herzog
Supporting Sponsors: Alstom and Aon, with Stacy Witbeck/Modern Railway Systems
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8 AM Breakfast – Worthington Renaissance Hotel
Sponsored by Hatch/STV JV
8:15 AM Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45 AM Remarks from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker
9 AM Regional Cooperation: How Trinity Metro, DART, and DCTA are — Together — Meeting the Moment
Driven by job creation and corporate relocations, the influx of new residents is pushing toward a population of nine million, making North Texas one of the fastest growing regions of the country.
Together, Trinity Metro, DART, and DCTA are demonstrating how regional cooperation is supporting mobility as North Texas continues to grow.
Moderator: Michael Morris, Director of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments
Rich Andreski, President & CEO, Trinity Metro, and Board Member, Commuter Rail Coalition
Paul Cristina, Chief Executive Officer, Denton County Transportation Authority
Nat Ford, Chief Executive Officer, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
10 AM Industry Innovations
Morning Break
Sponsored by Rolling Stock Solutions
10:50 AM Leading Through Pressure: Culture, Commitment, and Care in Challenging Times
The human cost of leading and working in an extraordinarily demanding environment.
In today’s workplace, leaders are being asked to do more with less while their people navigate stress, change fatigue, and uncertainty about the future. In commuter rail, those demands are amplified by an operating environment unlike almost any other. From witnessing a fatality, to understaffed and under-resourced operations teams working excessive hours under relentless pressure, to CEOs confronting an approaching fiscal cliff with few viable solutions, the cumulative strain can extend well beyond everyday workplace stress into trauma.
This session speaks directly to that reality. Drawing on her doctoral research on organizational culture and commitment, Dr. Doumbia explores how sustained pressure, rapid change, and conflicting messages can unintentionally erode trust, engagement, and organizational loyalty—even when leaders are acting with the best of intentions. She will examine how leaders can better understand the impact of these pressures on their people and navigate disruption without further undermining the relationships and commitment their organizations depend on.
Dr. Doumbia holds a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, with research focused on how employees experience organizational culture and commitment during periods of disruption and change. She has coached and trained leaders at all levels, from emerging managers to senior executives, on trust, influence, communication, and leading through change without burning people out.
Dr. Mayme Doumbia, PhD., PCC, Founder & Principal, Bridgewright Systems, with
Holly Arnold, former Administrator, MTA Maryland
David (DJ) Johnson, MARC
Philip Moore, Vice President, Huitt-Zollars
Noon Lunch
Sponsored by Icomera
1:15 PM World Cup Lessons for “Ordinary” Service
Five host agencies share their after-action analysis following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Learn what lessons will shape their planning for future events, and what tricks are being carried through to daily operations.
Moderator: Christina Webb, Director, Labor and Employment Law, Metra
Michael Litschi, Director, Special Projects, Metrolink
Binu Thomas, SVP, Interagency and Accessibility Initiatives, NJ Transit
Diane Hernandez Del Calvo, Deputy Executive Director, Tri-Rail
Mike Rooks, Chief Railroad Officer, MBTA, with Keolis Commuter Services’ Chief of Staff Alana Westwater
Brandon Long, Manager, Commuter Rail Transportation, Sound Transit
2:45 PM A Partnership on Track: Higher Education and Commuter Rail in North Texas
Leadership from three major universities that all connect to commuter rail systems – University of Texas at Dallas to DART’s Silver Line, Texas A&M to Trinity Metro’s TEXRail, and University of North Texas to DCA’s A-Train – will discuss how rail helps attract and serve higher education student and employee populations, as well as growing transit-oriented development around university stations.
Moderator: Caitlin Holland, Vice President, Real Estate & Economic Development, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, with
Bobby Ahdieh, Dean, Texas A&M University
Jim Coffey, Executive Director of Transportation, University of North Texas
Dr. Rafael Martin, VP of Administration and Chief of Operations, University of Texas at Dallas
Afternoon Break
Sponsored by Huitt-Zollars
4 PM Fireside Chat
Administrator David A. Fink, Federal Railroad Administration, in conversation with Ron Batory, Amtrak Board Member, Former FRA Administrator, and CRC’s 2026 Champion of Commuter Rail.
Moderated by David Dech, NICTD, and CRC Vice Chair
With introductions by Anna Lynn Smith, HDR
6:30 PM Cocktail Reception at Fort Worth’s T&P Station
7:30 – 9:30 PM CRC Champions of Commuter Rail Awards Dinner
Celebrating the Honorable Ron Batory, Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, and Allison Ishihara FultzTitle Sponsor: Tracsis
Supporting Sponsors: Amsted Rail, Hatch/STV JV, Kaplan Kirsch LLP, RailPros
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8:30 AM Breakfast and recognition of our nation’s veterans
9 AM Wielding a Coalition to Advance Industry Goals: The Importance of Member Engagement in Trade Association Lobbying
Moderator: Andrew Dohrmann, Director of Government Relations, TY Lin, with
Paul Hubler, Chief Strategy Officer, Metrolink
Katie Kachel, Principal, Blank Rome Government Relations
Auke Mahar-Piersma, Partner, Cardinal Infrastructure
Julie Minerva, Partner, Carpi Clay
Joe Swartz, Chief External Affairs and Strategy Officer, VRE
10 AM If You Build It, Will They Come? Why “Field of Dreams” Messaging Could Undermine Public Support in the Current Funding Environment
Over the past decade, commuter railroads across the US have pitched grand visions to their communities: from route expansions to infrastructure upgrades to extensive investments in maintenance and repairs. But with government funding cuts and budget shortfalls in the background, railroads are often forced to scale back these plans and communicate the changes to their communities and stakeholders.
Are these ambitious visions essential for building community support rail industry, or should messaging focused on reliability and safety secure a foundation of public trust before appealing for larger capital projects? This panel discussion will bring together leaders from multiple commuter railroads to discuss the best messaging approaches for building stakeholder trust and long-term expansion strategies.
Moderator: Christopher Walsh-Sinka, Founder & CEO, Hookline&, with
Rich Andreski, CEO, Trinity Metro & Board Member, Commuter Rail Coalition
Ryan Coholan, Chief Operating Officer, MBTA
David Harris, Executive Director of Modal Programs, New Mexico DOT
Darren Kettle, CEO, Metrolink & Board Secretary, Commuter Rail Coalition
Kay Shelton, Chief of Staff, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
11:30 AM Morning Break/Program Sessions Conclude
Sponsored by Stadler
12:15 PM Optional Technical Tour: TOD Experience | Ride All Three Host Agencies
Travel by bus from Fort Worth to Downtown Carrollton, where we will explore the transit-oriented development that has been catalyzed by DART’s Green Line and Silver Line stations.
After lunch on your own, we’ll meet at Downtown Carrollton Green Light Rail Station to learn about DCTA’s
A-Train extension from Trinity Mills Station to Downtown Carrollton to connect with DART’s Silver Line.Then, it’s off to Trinity Mills A-Train/Green Line Station for a TOD tour, which includes:
· 26-acre master planned mixed used development resulting from a partnership between DART, City of
Carrollton, and the master developer.· Phase I – Esplanade and multifamily housing/ground floor retail was completed in 2025 and is already
80% occupied.· Construction on Phase II (Class A Office) is underway, with future phases of senior living or a hotel coming soon.
The next stop is the Downtown Carrollton Green Line Station where we will transfer to the Silver Line toward DFW Airport Terminal B. (Some may elect to end their tour here.)
After transferring to TexRail, we will head to Grapevine/Main Street Station to explore more TOD and enjoy happy hour together at Hotel Vin. From the Grapevine Station we’ll return to the Conference hotel, or travel back to DFW Airport.
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TRE hosts the 2026 Fall Meeting of the Commuter Rail Operators Group November 11 & 12 in Irving, Texas
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PARTICIPANT CODE OF CONDUCT
The Commuter Rail Coalition is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive experience for all who engage in Coalition activities, which includes a commitment to provide a safe, productive and welcoming environment during CRC events. To that end, CRC has implemented the following policies to guide its own operations and to set expectations for individual conduct in the community.
The CRC Summit and all CRC activities are dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of age, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, nationality, race, or religion. We expect our attendees and speakers to contribute to a professional and respectful atmosphere. All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, organizers, and volunteers are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct at all CRC-related activities. Organizers and volunteers will enforce this code to ensure a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for everyone.
Unacceptable Behavior
Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, CRC staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, CRC staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
Engaging in innuendo disparaging of an individual’s character.
Disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by CRC at the meeting venue, hotels, or other CRC-contracted facilities.
Disruption of presentations, online or in-person at sessions, or at other events organized by CRC online or at the meeting venue, hotels, or other CRC-contracted facilities. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any CRC event staff. Disruptive behavior includes conduct, whether verbal or non-verbal, that is intended to promote the agenda of an attendee or an attendee’s organization by presenting issues that are outside the scope of the presentation or that are not relevant to the presentation or discussion. Participants who wish to engage in dialog with presenters about such issues are encouraged to do so outside of the presentation, discussion, or other event that is part of the CRC event and in a manner that does not interfere with other attendees’ ability to participate in, and engage fully in, that event or discussion.
Participants shall not knowingly and/or falsely discredit or malign the reputation of another participant, or defame, malign, or make false accusations concerning another participant, host, presenter, or discussion leader.
The recording or transmission of any education sessions, presentations, demos, videos, or content in any format is strictly prohibited.
Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitations for services. CRC reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.
Any direct selling of products/services offered by speakers, industry partners, or consultants in any public area of the virtual platform or in-person is prohibited. Many of the engagement conversations are based around knowledge and expertise and are not categorized as a direct sales pitch. Selling must be conducted during mutually agreed-upon private video, audio, or text conversations.
Participants should not copy or take screenshots of Q&A or any chat room activity that takes place in the virtual space.
CRC has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, CRC asks that you inform its counsel, Chuck Spitulnik, cspitulnik@kaplankirsch.com(202-955-5600) so that we can take the appropriate action.
CRC reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and CRC reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting. By attending the CRC event, the attendees specifically acknowledge that they will abide by this Code of Conduct and will comply with requests by CRC staff or counsel to cease the behavior that, in the opinion of CRC staff or counsel, constitutes a violation of this Code of Conduct or will comply with a request by CRC staff or counsel to leave the premises.