Peter H. Appel Confirmed as Administrator of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration
Peter H. Appel was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) on April 29, 2009.
Peter H. Appel, RITA Administrator (
U.S. DOT photo)
RITA brings together important data, research and technology transfer assets of the department, including: the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center; the Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Transportation Safety Institute; Research, Development and Technology; University Transportation Centers; and the National Transportation Library. RITA also provides strategic direction and oversight of U.S. DOT's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Program.
Before joining RITA, Mr. Appel was with the global management consulting firm of A.T. Kearney, Inc. He has led business improvement initiatives for clients in the private and public sectors, with a focus on transportation and infrastructure. Mr. Appel has over 20 years of experience in transportation, and has supported organizations in the railroad, trucking, airline, and ocean shipping industries with growth strategy, supply chain improvement, post-merger integration, public-private partnerships, and other key business and policy issues. Previously, he served as the Special Assistant to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and as Assistant Director for Pricing and Yield Management at Amtrak.
Mr. Appel earned his bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in Economics and Computer Science with Highest Honors, and received his Master of Science in Transportation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
During a recent visit to the Volpe Center, Mr. Appel held a Town Hall meeting with Volpe Center staff and met with several staff members and teams recently recognized at the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board's Excellence in Government Awards ceremony, the premier celebration of excellence in the local Federal community.
