Chatham Area Transit CEO resigns to accept new transit position

Chatham Area Transit Authority’s CEO/Executive Director Curtis Koleber has resigned his position and will leave the agency next month. Koleber has accepted a leadership position in public transit in a much larger urban system.

Koleber has headed up CAT for nearly six years after joining the agency in 2013 as COO/deputy executive director. He was promoted to CEO in December 2016 after serving as interim CEO for 12 months.

A few of the accomplishment during Koleber’s tenure include:   

• CAT receiving a total of more than $19.2 million in competitive grants through the state of Georgia, FHWA, and FTA.

• CAT became part of essential conversations within the Georgia General Assembly and other state agencies. This yielded positive results as it relates to the $10.6 million competitive grant award for 18 new 35-foot buses the agency received last year.

• CAT launched the Let’s Go! Designing Better Transit Together system redesign initiative that is currently underway.

• CAT purchasing 28 new CAT Mobility vehicles with federal grant money after initiating a comprehensive study of its paratransit program.

• CAT is also now a well-respected and active member within the American Public Transit Association due to Koleber and his leadership team’s involvement.

In addition, the agency is planning to begin converting its bus fleet into an all-electric bus fleet in the coming years after the Board of Directors approved a resolution in May 2017.

Koleber indicated he is also very proud that he and his leadership team were able to prepare a balanced budget for the board’s approval for the past two years with designated dollars going into a reserve or “rainy-day” fund.