Amtrak president fired by board of directors
Amtrak's board of directors Wednesday fired President David Gunn. The board said the passenger rail service needed to intensify the pace and broaden the scope of its overhauls.
Amtrak said David Hughes, the chief engineer, has been named acting president, and a search for a new chief has begun.
Gunn has clashed with the administration since taking the post in 2002. He has said Amtrak cannot survive without federal subsidies while the administration has pushed to end them.
"David Gunn has helped Amtrak make important operational improvements over the past three years," said Amtrak Chairman David Laney. "Amtrak's future now requires a different type of leader who will aggressively tackle the company's financial, management and operational challenges."
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Gunn's dismissal would be "a crushing blow to Amtrak's hopes for success and reform."
COMMENTS
- Former Amtrak president David Gunn is very knowledgeable and has an outstanding record on past rail projects. His only sin was standing up to Bush appointed bullies who ultimately want Amtrak crippled and destroyed. Amtrak could operate for 400 years on the money that has been wasted on Iraq already. So perhaps the wrong president was fired in this case. GovExec.com reader Posted November 11, 2005 9:01 AM
- I for one welcome the firing of Amtrak President David Gunn. His dismissal is a welcome first step in the direction of reform of this troubled agency. On my blog “Replacing Amtrak” I have had an ongoing discussion of how to move beyond the currently inefficient subsidized railroad model to a free market and consumer supported rail system that would make Americans proud to ride the rails once again. To learn more about how we can get there see http://replacingamtrak.blogspot.com Joseph Vranich Posted November 10, 2005 12:40 AM
