David Gunn was appointed as the head of Amtrak by President George W. Bush in April 2002. Before working for Amtrak, Gunn was head of the New York City Transit Authority from 1984 to 1990 and commissioner of the Toronto Transit Commission from 1995 to 1999. He also headed transit systems in Philadelphia and Washington, DC

Gunn has a philosophy called "state of good repair" where the first priority is to maintain infrastructure and equipment, making regular repairs where needed and retiring equipment from service at the end of its life-cycle. His tenure at the TTC was also marked by changes in management structure, which were criticized by some (including his successor, Rick Ducharme, in a July 1999 Toronto Star article). He also argued against new subway construction.

Toronto's only fatal subway train accident, the August 11 1995, collision which claimed three lives, happened only eight months after Gunn became head of the TTC.

External links

• David Gunn announces retirement in Toronto (http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/coupler/1198/gunn.htm): Article from Coupler, TTC internal newsletter announcement in Toronto, (prior to Gunn becoming President of Amtrak)

Other people named David Gunn

• David Gunn is also an American actor whose acting credits include The Convent (2000) and Vampire Journals (1997).
• Dr. David Gunn was a physician specializing in abortions who was murdered on March 10 1993, by an anti-abortion activist. This incident is the subject of the song "Get Your Gunn" by Marilyn Manson.