METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Transit GM Q&A: How are you attracting talent?

Metro asked some top industry executives how they are attracting the next generation of talent.

October 10, 2017
Transit GM Q&A: How are you attracting talent?

Phil Washington, CEO of Los Angeles County Metro.

3 min to read


Tina Quigley, GM
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Las Vegas 

Tina Quigley, GM of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

"At the RTC, we know that the next generation of workers value work-life balance, flexible working hours, and digital solutions. We strive to provide these opportunities by offering telecommuting options, a compressed work week, a competitive benefits package, and personal growth and development initiatives. Our goal is to provide a compelling work environment that inspires employees everyday."                                                                                   Phil Washington, CEO
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Los Angeles

Ad Loading...
Phil Washington, CEO of Los Angeles County Metro.

"We are creating a well-trained workforce to help us deliver the hundreds of thousands of jobs required to build, maintain, and operate 40 major transportation and highway projects in Measure M, the ballot measure for transportation that passed last November. With that in mind, we have launched a career pathways program that will recruit and train talent for well-paying jobs throughout our agency. Part of career pathways is a unique program called Workforce Initiative Now-LA (WIN-LA), which provides support for participants in areas such as life skills development, skill set enhancement, and educational attainment. These programs illustrate our commitment to attracting the best workforce of any transportation agency in the country."

Darrell Johnson, CEO
Orange County Transportation Authority
Orange, Calif.

Darrell Johnson, CEO of Orange County Transportation Authority.

"As a multimodal agency, focusing on transit, freeway planning and construction, streets, and active transportation, we know how important it is to attract and develop a diverse workforce of talented employees. OCTA offers paid internships and an Intern Development Academy, which allows college students to see the breadth of work we do and build skills to successfully enter the workforce. We also have a structured mentor program that teams developing employees with seasoned professionals so they can work one-on-one to identify and achieve career goals. Our Management Academy and Leadership Development Academy identify young leaders and works with them to advance their careers. Strong succession planning also ensures that younger employees are developing skills necessary to move up in the organization and gives us confidence that we have a deep roster of capable leaders in all divisions."

Rob Gannon, GM
King County Metro
Seattle

Rob Gannon, GM of King County Metro.

"Seattle is home to the world’s most successful and best known companies. King County Metro competes every day to attract top talent to our workforce, and we aim just as high to be the world’s most customer-focused public agency. Great pay and benefits is just the start, but workers also seek flex schedules and a respect for work/life balance. Once hired, we mentor, rotate assignments, and foster talent in order to build careers here. We recruit in underserved and historically disadvantaged communities to better reflect and serve our community, and are stronger thanks to our growing diversity."

Ad Loading...

Doran Barnes, Executive Director
Foothill Transit
West Covina, Calif.

Doran Barnes, executive director of Foothill Transit.

"At Foothill Transit we know that our employees, new or seasoned, are hungry for opportunity. And we try to feed that hunger by not boxing people into static roles. Tuition reimbursement is one part of our strategy for preparing for those opportunities. Fostering leadership growth through participation in organizational learning programs at WTS, APTA, COMTO, TRB, and the Eno Foundation is another. This varied learning experience helps prepare our team for future career advancement when those opportunities present themselves. Incoming talent wants to be set up for success, and we actively work with them to reach their goals, not just for the good of Foothill Transit, but for the industry as a whole."

Nuria Fernandez, GM/CEO
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
San Jose, Calif.

Nuria Fernandez, GM/CEO of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

"VTA has a multi-faceted approach to ensuring we have talented, dedicated professionals filling our ranks for the long term. Working with community partners, we offer paid internships that provide meaningful hands-on work experience focusing on VTA project-driven initiatives in a variety of disciplines. For full-time positions, targeted recruitment includes social media outreach, job fairs, and interactive vocational presentations at schools. VTA is also engaged in a regional workforce strategy that promotes the next generation of transportation leaders and employees in support of Bay Area communities."

More Management

ABAF Examines Motorcoach Insurance Crisis
Motorcoachby Alex RomanAugust 11, 2026

ABAF Study Reveals Growing Insurance Crisis for Motorcoach Operators

Preliminary findings show 98% of operators faced premium increases over the past five years, while shrinking insurer participation is putting added pressure on businesses and customers.

Read More →
PSTA employees clocking in.
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 10, 2026

PSTA Modernizes Workforce Management with Digital Bidding System

The award-winning Workforce Transit Modernization project replaced paper bidding with a transparent digital platform, cutting administrative effort while improving access for operators.

Read More →
APTA Comes to Chicago
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 10, 2026

Chicago to Host Public Transportation's Biggest Gathering at APTA TRANSform & EXPO 2026

North America’s largest public transportation gathering returns to Chicago, connecting transit decision-makers with the technologies, ideas, and partnerships driving the industry forward.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An LA Metro bus and railcar.
New Mobilityby Alex RomanAugust 7, 2026

New Tricks for Old Bureaucracies: Joshua Schank on Making Transit Innovation Stick

Former LA Metro Chief Innovation Officer Joshua Schank discusses why good ideas aren't enough, how transit agencies can overcome resistance to change, and why today's challenges demand more innovation.

Read More →
A Community Transit Swift Green Line bus
Busby Staff and News ReportsAugust 7, 2026

Washington's Community Transit Sets Six-Year Roadmap for Growth, Expansion

Approved TDP targets more bus service, new mobility options, Swift BRT expansion, and a potential Everett Transit annexation.

Read More →
An pink and white OKC streetcar moves down a street.
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 7, 2026

OKC Streetcar Makes Zero-Fare Service Permanent

Ridership increased an average of 71% compared with the same period a year earlier during the fare-free pilot.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Managementby Alex RomanAugust 6, 2026

DART Customer Satisfaction Reaches Six-Year High

Overall satisfaction rose to 74.9%, while the agency’s Net Promoter Score reached a record 33.7.

Read More →
A red, white, and blue graphic with an image of a rail line in NYC and text reading "Surface Transportation Bill Moves Forward."
Managementby Elora HaynesAugust 6, 2026

House Surface Transportation Bill Advances as Transit Funding Debate Intensifies

A bipartisan transportation package moving through Congress could redefine how the U.S. funds highways, transit, and motorcoach travel, while igniting new fights over electrification, regulation, and federal priorities.

Read More →
ManagementAugust 5, 2026

How Data, Strategy, and Community Engagement Are Reshaping Transit

In this edition of METROspectives, strada360 CEO Steve Lassey discusses how transit agencies can better align planning with operations, leverage data to improve decision-making, and build public trust as they prepare for the future of mobility.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An Amtrak Acela train at New York Penn Station
Railby Alex RomanAugust 3, 2026

Amtrak Board Advances Plan to Restructure Organization, Seeks Public Input

The proposal, developed by Amtrak management and approved by the board for further consideration, is intended to modernize the organization's structure while improving accountability, operational efficiency, and customer service.

Read More →