NARP's Mathews tapped to serve on USDOT tourism committee

National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Mathews has been selected to serve on the U.S. Department of Transportation's newly commissioned National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure (NACTTI).

The committee was created by Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and brings together transportation and tourism experts from private and public sectors, NARP officials said in a press release.

Mathews will provide the committee insight on how passenger trains drive tourism and economic growth, and how rail development can produce a more efficient transportation system, according to NARP.

The only rail-industry executive on the 25-member committee, Mathews will serve for two years.

The NACTTI will hold its first meetings Dec. 8-9 at the Federal Aviation Administration headquarters, where members will discuss the current state of the transportation and tourism industries.

"I anticipate that NACTTI will help tackle the enormous challenges we face in rebuilding our aging transportation infrastructure to connect America with multiple travel modes, to create jobs, and to foster economic growth everywhere in America, including 'flyover country,'" Mathews said.