The Gov and TriRail square off

[spuwho]

The SunSentinel covers the replacement of TriRail's' Executive Director, but apparently they are running into some interference from the Governor up in Tallahassee.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-02-02/news/fl-editorial-tri-rail-executive-director-20140202_1_tri-rail-joe-giulietti-national-search

This editorial speaks out on the need of TriRail to acquire leadership with better political skills, especially of the new push to move the service from CSX to FEC to align with AAF.



Looking nationally might also help the agency politically. Tri-Rail has had its run-ins with Gov. Rick Scott, who, concerned about overhead and outsourcing, pushed legislation in 2012 to let him appoint the majority of Tri-Rail's board. Though unsuccessful, the governor sent a clear message that Tallahassee wants change.

Continues...

Tri-Rail is a vital cog in South Florida's transportation network. It operates 50 trains on weekdays and another 30 on the weekend. It has carried more than 70 million passengers since its inception, and continues to set new ridership records.

But, its next leader faces tough challenges, including the need to secure a dependable revenue stream, to address the desire for expanded routes, to navigate the turbulent political waters of Tallahassee and to help people across this region see their stake in the system's continued success.

From the start, Tri-Rail has run on the north-south CSX corridor that hugs I-95. But, there's growing interest in adding a second north-south line a few miles east on the FEC freight line, which better runs through the hearts of the region's coastal communities.

Because a long-distance passenger service called All Aboard Florida is now planned on the FEC corridor, talk is growing about adding a shorter-hop commuter line there, too. If the numbers can be worked out, the idea makes all the sense in the world.

And therein lies the rub. The numbers.

Tri-Rail needs a dedicated revenue stream to cover its operating expenses, but things aren't looking good. The Florida Department of Transportation has committed to giving the service $30 million a year until 2017, but then wants to extract itself from funding operations.