Trump ally wants to get rid of the Dulles Airport "people movers"
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A 2000 snapshot of the "mobile lounges." Photo: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Trump allies have a new local quest: Getting rid of the Dulles Airport "people movers."
Why it matters: Many would love to get rid of the antiquated shuttles, especially after Monday's crash that hospitalized 18 people.
Driving the news: Trent Morse, a Trump nominee to the airport board, is leading the effort and linking it to Trump's D.C. "beautification" campaign, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
- In recent testimony before the Senate, Morse pledged to help improve Dulles' image in the eyes of the world, lamenting that the airport isn't ranked among the best in class.
- "The people mover is a relic of the past," he told senators. "It's an embarrassment that international travelers, when visiting the capital of the most powerful nation in the world, are transported back to the '60s."
State of play: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who sits on the committee overseeing Morse's nomination, called the people movers "glacial" and "tank-like" and said he's "glad to see Mr. Morse shares [his] disdain" for them.
- "Any meeting I've had with a senator, the idea gets the most attention — by far," Morse told the Washington Post.
Reality check: Dulles wants to keep them around for now.
- Its master plan, released in July, calls for an expansion of the AeroTrain, which would sunset the people movers. But it would take decades to come to fruition.
Zoom in: Morse was an official at the Transportation Department in President Trump's first term and recently left the White House personnel office.
- He has called himself "a self-described 'aviation' geek" and recently lobbied for American Airlines, per Bloomberg Government.
Flashback: Dulles architect Eero Saarinen envisioned the people movers as luxurious lounges with cocktail service. They debuted in 1962.
- "A monster on wheels," boasted a promo reel, stating that the space-age transporters were the "largest passenger-carrying vehicle on rubber tires."
- Most of the shuttles were replaced in 2010 by much better people movers — aka trains. But because the AeroTrain rail system doesn't reach Concourse D, a few dozen shuttles stuck around.
- The people movers are basically obsolete everywhere else in the world.