Lori A. Winfree to serve as an inaugural member of committee advising the Board on issues impacting passenger rail service
Oceanside, CA – The federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) has appointed North County Transit District (NCTD) General Counsel Lori A. Winfree to the newly formed Passenger Rail Advisory Committee (PRAC), which will advise the federal agency on issues impacting passenger rail services, including improving efficiency on passenger rail routes, collaboration between passenger rail carriers and freight rail hosts, and improving regulatory processes related to intercity passenger rail to benefit the public and the communities served by passenger rail and the environment.
“Lori’s extensive experience in intermodal transportation makes her an incredible choice for not only the committee, but to the District and our partner agencies in California who will benefit from her work,” said Shawn Donaghy, NCTD Chief Executive Officer. “This new committee will provide the STB with invaluable insight of the experiences shared by passenger rail agencies and our customers to help forge knowledgeable solutions as the Board makes critical decisions for the future of passenger rail in this country.”
Winfree has served as General Counsel for NCTD for over 10 years. She is responsible for NCTD’s compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration regulations. Winfree also manages all operations and use agreements with other rail operators that utilize NCTD’s railroad tracks, including Amtrak intercity rail, BNSF Railway freight services, and Metrolink commuter rail. Winfree’s PRAC appointment is for a two-year term.
“I am honored to be selected by the Board and appreciate the confidence that Chairman Oberman has placed in each member of this inaugural committee to advance the stated goals of the Board,” said Winfree. “The creation of this new committee shows the dedication of the STB to add more voices to the national conversations around issues impacting passenger rail service.”
NCTD is the Railroad of Record as designated by the Federal Railroad Administration and entity responsible for maintenance of the San Diego Subdivision from the Orange/San Diego County border to downtown San Diego of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor. NCTD is one of only three agencies nationwide that operates heavy rail, hybrid rail and bus service.
