NARP is now Rail Passengers Association

November 27, 2017

Celebrating 50 Years of Passenger Rail Advocacy with a New View, The Passenger’s View

Today, I am pleased to announce the formal introduction of our new brand.

Shortly after I began as President of NARP three years ago, it became even more clear to me how important this organization is for rail passengers in America.

The proud history and organization that NARP members have built over the past 50 years has been a crucial part of the fight when the very existence of trains has been threatened by politicians in Washington. This Association allowed our voices to be raised when services needed improvement, and when expansion efforts were needed.

Now, we look forward to the next 50 years with optimism, encouraged to expand and strengthen the national rail network. Today, more than ever, trains are an important part of an interconnected transportation system. We know that rail drives development locally and propels regional economies forward. As America considers how and where to invest our transportation and infrastructure dollars, rail needs to be at the center of the conversation.

Yet, today’s rail passengers are still threatened with old, antiquated ideas about rail. Some people in Washington, including those in the Trump Administration, seek to cut funding for Amtrak. That is backwards thinking and will only hurt rail passengers across the country, including and especially those riders who live in rural areas where travel options are even more limited.

Many of our train routes are plagued by poor on-time performance. We have systems that are using old and outdated equipment, and that are in desperate need of maintenance and repair. As a result there are too many places across the country that lack the rail connectivity they need. And, many of our rail riders expect and deserve better service. These are fights we need to have and that we can win.

Rail Passengers seeks to grow and expand our membership, to raise our voices even louder to demand that the needs and concerns of rail passengers are heard. Our new brand is a reflection of that same mission.

If you look closely at our logo, you’ll see it is reminiscent of a train window. That puts you in the passenger seat. Our branding is cleaner, easier to say, and focused on the passenger, not the train. After all, we represent people, not train companies or transit agencies.

To be clear, the National Association of Railroad Passengers is not going away. We are still NARP. We will always BE NARP. We are NOT changing our name. We are changing our brand. Just as Amtrak is the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, the Rail Passengers Association is the National Association of Railroad Passengers.

We made this change after great thought and consideration. We conducted extensive research and called on experts in the field to guide us. We heard feedback from current, long-time members and we surveyed future potential members to see what would resonate. This new look is simple, yet modern. And, we are excited about how we can use it.

In fact, I want to invite you to be a part of this new brand by sending us your personal photos. We might be able to use your views in our advocacy efforts. But, don’t stop there. We have many volunteer positions to be filled. We have many advocacy campaigns that need support. And, we need your help to recruit new members to our cause.

As you become acquainted with our new look, please take some time to visit our website and link up with us on social media on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Thank you for your continued and dedicated support,

Jim Mathews
President and CEO
Rail Passengers Association