OREANDA-NEWS. Ron Hartman joins Network Rail Consulting Inc. from Transdev North America, where he has been the chief executive officer of rail division since 2008, leading the transformation of commuter rail operations in Florida, California, and Boston as well as Transdev’s successful rail infrastructure maintenance and construction subsidiary, VTMI, which he established in 2009.

Ron began his career with the American Public Transit Association (APTA), working in policy, legislation and technical support before taking up the post of General Manager at Maryland’s Mass Transit Administration (MTA) for over a decade. Ron went on to serve as Vice President for planning and development at Amtrak for three years before joining Veolia Transportation as the executive vice president-mid atlantic, and then senior vice president, where he held key responsibilities in operations and business development.

Network Rail Consulting’s managing director, Nigel Ash, commented: “I am very pleased that we have got someone with Ron’s knowledge and experience to lead our business in North America. Ron’s proven record of growing successful railway businesses combined with Network Rail’s corporate capability will give us the impetus to make rapid progress in growing our business in Canada and the USA”.

“I am very excited to join Network Rail,” Ron said. “I believe there is a real opening in North America to provide expertise to our rail industry, given Network Rail’s practical and successful role as an operator and maintainer of one of the world’s largest rail networks.”

Notes to editors

About Network Rail Consulting

  • Network Rail Consulting is a subsidiary of Network Rail
  • Network Rail Consulting aims to harness the vast range of skills and experience available within Network Rail to demonstrate British expertise overseas and be an international ambassador for Britain’s rail industry. It will also help channel innovation back into our core business, helping deliver a better value railway for Britain
  • The board of directors of Network Rail Consulting comprises Patrick Butcher (chairman), Nigel Ash (managing director), and Mike Prager (finance & commercial director)
  • Network Rail Consulting is selling the full range of rail expertise within Network Rail including:
    • Advisory: Re-structuring, privatisation, institutional, policy development and reviews, audits, procurement, bid support, rail operations including retail optimisation
    • Strategic Planning: Transport master plans, market assessments, demand forecasting, project appraisal and route utilisation strategies
    • Asset Management: Developing conceptual asset management frameworks, route asset management plans
    • Operations & Maintenance: Practical operating advice, timetabling and simulation modelling, maintenance regimes and outsourced operate and maintain contracts
    • Infrastructure Projects: Outputs definition, pre-feasibility, feasibility, project and programme management