He's had an "interesting" influence, both positive and negative, in my opinion, on California public transportation policy and direction. I think that his approach has done as much harm as good, in a number of cases. And, the track record of his "vision" has been checkered in my opinion, as well.

My first encounter (IIRC) was way back in Jim Mills time, maybe at a CRC conference, back when there were only six Amtrak trains from LA-SD ... And, I've seen him in action at other conferences over the years like APTA, or the UCLA Transportation and Air Quality retreats up at Lake Arrowhead.

He's seen some winners, like support for Caltrain at a critical period, but some real turkey's the taxpayers haven't seen the value from, due to "too much" vision, but a lack of good planning and execution, like VTA. Of course, being better at selling the "vision" versus and the "image" than the hard part of good "planning" that produces solid "results", has never been a reason not to honored for such "success" in politics though, has it?

Nope, he's probably not my first choice for "naming rights", either. Don't we have any famous war heroes, or great scientists, or maybe an astronaut to name things after anymore, or do they only get post offices nowadays?