Drawn from our 2025 Rail Insights conference, this edition of Railway Age’s podcast series features Surface Transportation Board Chair Patrick Fuchs in conversation with Editor-in Chief William C. Vantuono. Now in his second five-year term expiring Jan. 14, 2029, Fuchs was first Senate-confirmed in 2019. Fuchs earned second-term support from dozens of rail shipper groups who citied his expertise and offered depictions as “calm,” “transparent” and “seriously thoughtful.” Railroads, which rarely take positions on pending nominations, acknowledged support. In his six years at the STB, Fuchs’ “just the facts” approach has had him siding with railroads and shippers. As examples, his railroad-favorable dissent rejecting an STB-initiated Final Offer Rate Review was cited by an appellate court, while he issued a partial dissent to side with shippers in a recent high-value tank car case. Sponsored by BNSF Railway, The Greenbrier Companies, Amsted Rail, Loram, Trinity Rail and Union Pacific.