Patrick Goddard: Engineering Brightline’s on-track Miami-to-Orlando link

Patrick Goddard has been president of Brightline since 2017, helping the intercity passenger rail company expand, with plans to connect South Florida to Central Florida.

Brightline, previously named All Aboard Florida, was formed as a rail system that would eventually connect Miami to Orlando, starting with connections between Miami – at the MiamiCentral Station – and West Palm Beach. Brightline trains have recently starting operations in Aventura and Boca Raton, and there are upcoming direct connections from Miami to Orlando and Tampa.

Mr. Goddard previously was in hospitality, founding and leading Trust Hospitality, which developed and operated boutique and luxury hotels. He was also president and managing director of Ocean Blue Hospitality, a consulting firm specializing in hotel openings, sales, marketing, and revenue management for independent hotels.

Transforming train travel in the US is what motivated him to switch to transportation, he said. Brightline is now almost at ridership capacity, and the company is thinking about expanding capacity to meet the demand, with tough emphasis on safety.

“It’s a big achievement to launch the first intercity passenger rail system in the United States in over 100 years,” said Mr. Goddard, “and to demonstrate that it actually works.”
He spoke with Miami Today reporter Monica Correa.

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