USTDA GRANT SUPPORTS BUSINESS CASE FOR POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL IN ROMANIA

For Immediate Release   

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (December 16, 2003) – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) awarded a $250,000 grant today to the Romanian Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism to partially fund the development of a business case study on the implementation of a positive train control (PTC) system in Romania.  The grant is significant because it will help to introduce the first U.S.-style train control system in Europe.  Moreover, it illustrates USTDA’s commitment to assist Romania in achieving higher rail safety standards and increasing capacity on Romania railways.

The grant was conferred in a signing ceremony at the Government Building in Bucharest.  USTDA Director Thelma J. Askey signed the grant on behalf of the U.S. Government.  His Excellency Miron Tudor Mitrea, Minister of Transport, Construction and Tourism, signed on behalf of the Romanian Government.  The U.S. Ambassador to Romania, the Honorable Michael Guest, attended the signing ceremony on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.

The USTDA grant will allow the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism to develop and examine a business case considering the benefits of adding an accurate train location system to the existing passenger and freight information systems in Romania.  If implemented, the PTC system will increase the capacity of Romanian rail lines by allowing more trains to travel on the track.  The proposed system will also improve safety by pinpointing the location of each train on the track in real time.

The Seneca Group, LLC of Washington, DC will perform the study.  Seneca has worked in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism to develop this study and will share the total cost of the study with USTDA.  If the study is positive, U.S. suppliers of applicable technologies will benefit from the implementation of this type of train control system in Romania.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries.  The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, feasibility studies, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and

a fair and open trading environment.  USTDA’s strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.  In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

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