Bernie Moreno's war on rails: Is it about public service or personal profit? [View all]

OH:Bernie Moreno’s war on rails: Is it about public service or personal profit?
June 24, 2025

Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno’s call to eliminate Amtrak during a Senate subcommittee meeting on modernizing U.S. rail had Today in Ohio hosts questioning whether his background as an auto dealer gives him a conflict of interest.

By Today in Ohio
Source cleveland.com (TNS)


Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno’s call to eliminate Amtrak during a Senate subcommittee meeting on modernizing U.S. rail had Today in Ohio hosts questioning whether his background as an auto dealer gives him a conflict of interest.

The fledgling senator’s suggestion that the government should abandon rail service altogether ignited a debate about the true purpose of public infrastructure and who really benefits from transportation policy decisions.

“He was speaking at a Senate subcommittee meeting on modernizing U.S. Rail, and he said, why is the government even in the rail biz? And why is subsidizing and owning a railroad when we’re terrible at it?” explained Lisa, laying out Moreno’s argument against government involvement in passenger rail.

The timing of Moreno’s anti-Amtrak stance is notable, as Governor Mike DeWine has been studying several new Ohio routes that would connect the state to Pittsburgh, New York, and Chicago. Under the proposed plan, Amtrak would cover the first five years of operating expenses on these expanded routes. ......................(more)

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/news/55298824/oh-bernie-morenos-war-on-rails-is-it-about-public-service-or-personal-profit