Policy Punchline

Ian Jefferies is the President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), an organization whose members include the major freight railroads of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and Amtrak. Chuck Baker joined American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) as President after a 15-year career in the railroad industry. In this interview, co-hosts Tiger Gao and Sullivan Meyer discuss with Ian and Chuck the basic functions of the American railroad system, business outlook, how the railroad system thinks about the climate challenge, policymaking in the transportation sector and beyond. Sullivan and Tiger start by asking Ian and Chuck what their respective organizations do. In short, the AAR and ASLRRA are trade groups representing their constituent industries in Washington. For the AAR, that means giving voice to the seven Class 1 railroads in the United States, as well as a few hundred other large railroads. The ASLRRA, on the other hand, represents the over 600 shortline and regional r