Our Founder

Michael Sussman

I began my career in transportation in 1994 by launching Strategic Rail Finance, a North American transportation-industry consulting firm. My associates and I have been busy since then, advising clients in the private and public sectors across 44 states and Canada. I entered the rail industry with the intention to improve how we invest capital in infrastructure and industrial systems.

In addition to our client work, I have contributed considerable time and energy to educating and learning from government officials and staff at all levels. I have met with the staff and leaders of 69 U.S. Senate offices and 195 U.S. House offices, speaking on behalf of policy and programmatic improvements that would benefit all, not just a particular client or vested interest.

Leading up to the founding of OnTrackNorthAmerica in 2007, and in the years since, we have developed our capacity to convene stakeholders in government and industry:

In 2023, we led a four-county stakeholder activity in New Mexico following a 350,000-acre forest fire. This work led to the development of the New Mexico Sustainable Forestry Business Plan.
In 2021, we convened hundreds of transportation stakeholders to develop Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan, a new whole-systems approach to freight rail planning.
On December 11, 2008, we convened a five-hour summit of industry and government leaders in the U.S. Capitol to consider new collaborative approaches to freight transportation efficiency.
On December 8, 1998, we convened a rail transportation conference in the U.S. Capitol for 55 congressional staff, which was praised by many as the finest briefing they had ever attended.

I am honored to have earned the respect and ear of congressional leaders and staff:

In March 2011, I was the only private-sector invitee to a U.S. House Railroad Subcommittee Staff Workshop exploring ways to improve the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program.
On February 17, 2011, I testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Railroad Subcommittee on reforms to the Federal Railroad Administration’s RRIF loan program.
On October 19, 2005, I spoke before the Surface Transportation Board on the 25th anniversary of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.

I have found that our common-sense message, based on whole-system thinking, resonates across the political spectrum:

I received thank you letters from Republican House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf and Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller’s Chief of Staff.
In 2003, I contributed to Washington State produce shippers by designing and writing important elements of the Washington State Produce Railcar Pool Act, as passed by the 2003 state legislature.
In 1999, I collaborated with the Federal Railroad Administration to eliminate the requirement for audited financial statements for Class II and III railroads from the Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing Act (RRIF loan program).
In November 1997, I was responsible for making freight rail projects eligible under H.R. 115 – the National Infrastructure Development Act.

I have been fortunate to collaborate with academic leaders over the years:

On April 5th, 2024, I received the annual President’s Award from the Transportation Research Forum.
Dr. Barbara Gray, founder of Penn State University’s Center for Research in Conflict and Negotiation, has made significant contributions to OTNA’s work.
The University of Tennessee’s Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment provided research assistance for OTNA’s Land Freight Lifecycle Impact Calculator.
Philadelphia’s Temple University hosted my talk, “How Collaboration, Trust, and Railroads Will Save the World,” on December 5, 2023.
I serve on the Industry Advisory Board of the six-university consortium, Center for Freight Transportation and Efficient & Resilient Supply Chains

My writing has been published in leading transportation industry journals:

Our Founder

Micha﻿el Sussman

Michael Sussman