(The Associated Press circulated the following on November 16.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak’s CEO, Alex Kummant, resigned Friday after two years on the job because of unspecified differences with the board of the national passenger railroad.
William Crosbie, Amtrak’s chief operating officer, will serve as acting president and CEO. Kummant’s resignation is effective immediately, but he will participate in the leadership transition, Amtrak said.
Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black declined to comment on the specific reasons for Kummant’s departure, but said the executive and Amtrak’s board “had differences in strategic direction and management philosophy.”
Kummant declined to comment, Black said. Kummant could not be reached for comment.
Last month, President George W. Bush signed into law a bill calling for Amtrak to receive $13 billion over five years in subsidies, though Congress will have to separately approve the money year after year.
Amtrak has posted six years of ridership and revenue growth, due in part to high gasoline and airline prices. The railroad carried a record 28.7 million people last year, with each of its routes seeing gains, an 11 percent increase over the 25.8 million trips taken in fiscal year 2007.
Kummant has previously predicted that annual ridership could grow to 50 million in 10 years.
Kummant, hired as president and CEO in 2006, is credited with overseeing the completion of labor agreements with all of Amtrak’s union employees. He took over for David Gunn, who was fired in 2005.
Kummant previously served as an executive with Omaha, Neb.-based railroad operator Union Pacific Corp.