The former chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission and the National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), David M. Laney, will be inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor today (Oct. 6) at the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT‘s) Dewitt Greer Building in Austin. The induction ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m.
“David Laney’s contributions to the transportation system are immeasurable,” says Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Agency Director Dennis L. Christiansen. “The indelible mark he has made on transportation has made a positive impact not only in Texas, but throughout the nation. We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his service.”
Laney was the chair of the Texas Transportation Commission from 1995 to 2000. His list of accomplishments includes: increasing highway construction contracts from $1.9 billion to $3.1 billion annually; establishing TxDOT‘s toll division and initiating TxDOT‘s shift toward innovative methods of highway finance; implementing a $2.8 billion Rio Grande border infrastructure program; and re-establishing the North Texas Tollway Authority.
He was appointed to Amtrak’s board of directors by President George W. Bush, where he served as chairman from 2003 to 2007. Laney aggressively rebuilt the organization, reduced its debt, increased ridership and revenue, and for the first time achieved important on-time-performance targets.
Laney becomes the 32nd member of the Hall of Honor, which was established in 2000 by TTI as a way to recognize the select individuals who played pivotal roles in the advancement of transportation in Texas and the nation. Each individual inducted into the Hall is recognized by a plaque on permanent display in the Hall.
A 1971 graduate of Stanford University and a 1977 graduate of Southern Methodist University School of Law, Laney is currently a practicing Dallas attorney and a leader in many civic and transportation-related activities. He has held numerous board positions, including the Stanford University Board of Trustees.