A new association has formed to represent commuter rail agencies, operators and other parties in the sector.

The Commuter Rail Coalition will "engage and educate stakeholders and communities on the value of commuter railroads," the new organization said in a statement. The group will be governed by an executive committee consisting of current and former commuter rail industry executives.

"The coalition will give a stronger voice in Washington D.C. to the safest mode of surface transportation," founding Executive Director KellyAnne Gallagher said in a statement published on the industry news site Railway Age. "Commuter rail transportation delivers 490 million passenger trips annually, reduces congestion, decreases commuters' carbon footprints and increases property values as well as a region's tax base." https://tinyurl.com/yxpaxplw

Gallagher most recently was director of regulatory affairs, corporate affairs and benchmarking for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She previously worked at the American Public Transportation Association for 16 years, stepping down in 2016 from her position of assistant vice president.

The coalition listed eight members on its website as of April 1, including the Connecticut Department of Transportation, New Jersey Transit and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transit District. commuterrailcoalition.org

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