News to Use and Abuse.

moorman
 TRAINS magazine is reporting that Amtrak’s new president and CEO, Wick Moorman, has made it very clear that he’s only going to be in that role for a short time. In fact, he’s apparently already looking for his successor.
 
This is too bad, because everyone—and I mean everyone—was extremely upbeat at the news of Moorman’s selection. He’s known to be an excellent manager but, much more important, he knows how to get buy-in with everyone marching in the same direction.
 
In terms of his vision for Amtrak’s future, Moorman has made a firm commitment to the national network, and that came as a big relief to everyone who, whether true or not, had doubts that his predecessor, Joe Boardman, felt the same way.
 
As of the end of the day today there is still no word about a new Secretary of Transportation. However it does appear that the Trump Transition Team has finally gotten its act together after being stuck in neutral for ten days or so. 
martin-whitmer
A Sub-Transition Team focusing on finding someone to head the Transportation Department has been formed and is apparently being headed by Shirley Ybarra and Martin Whitmer (right). She formerly headed the State of Virginia’s DOT and is a policy analyst fore the Reason Foundation, a Koch backed Libertarian “think tank”.
 
Whitmer is head of a lobbying firm that bears his name. And here’s some cheerful news: one of his clients is the National Asphalt Paving Association and the Association of American Railroads. Also being mentioned as possible head of DOT, albeit very quietly, is Wisconsin governor Scott Walker.
 
Despite actively promoting himself for the DOT job, it does not appear that former Congressman John Mica has a serious shot because he has little if any support from his fellow Republicans. Of course, these days, when up is down and down is up, that probably makes him the front runner.
 
Are we having fun yet?