Shortly after its establishment in the fall of 2001, Crawford Strategies stepped into the national spotlight when it took over the communications strategy for Amtrak in the Northeast. At a time when air travel had been suspended following the September 11th attacks and security concerns consumed every mode of transportation, former Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis, the acting chairman of Amtrak’s board of directors, enlisted the help of Stephen Crawford to manage the rail’s press coverage.
Crawford Strategies successfully oversaw Amtrak’s public image during one of the most frenzied periods in transportation history, boosting consumer confidence enough to double ridership in eight months.