Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) CEO Paul J. Ballard received a transportation award for exceptional leadership in providing Nashville with an outstanding accessible transit system at the 30th Annual Awards for Artists with Disabilities.
Under Ballard’s leadership, MTA’s bus ridership has increased from 6.4 million annual passenger trips to a high of 9.4 million passenger trips and more than 175 new accessible buses and vans have been added to the fleet during his tenure. The fleet is now fully accessible.
MTA’s AccessRide program for people with disabilities is the largest of Tennessee’s public transit systems with more than 340,000 passenger trips recorded last fiscal year. This program covers practically all of Metro-Nashville Davidson County.
Ballard has served as the MTA CEO since January 2002. In December 2008, he became the CEO of the Regional Transportation Authority, which manages the Music City Star and regional bus services to surrounding Middle Tennessee counties.
Nashville, Tenn. transit CEO honored for accessible system
Paul J. Ballard was awarded for exceptional leadership in providing Nashville with an outstanding accessible transit system at the 30th Annual Awards for Artists with Disabilities. Under his leadership, Nashville MTA’s bus ridership has increased from 6.4 million annual passenger trips to a high of 9.4 million passenger trips. More than 175 new accessible buses and vans have been added to the fleet during his tenure.
More Paratransit

Biz Briefs: BART, Uber Launch Partnership and More
Stay informed with these quick takes on the projects and companies driving progress across the transportation landscape.
Read More →3 New Ways Fleet Software Pays: ROI opportunities for modern fleet managers
Transit agencies depend on safe, reliable vehicles to deliver consistent service. This eBook examines how next-generation fleet software helps agencies move from reactive processes to proactive operations through automated maintenance, real-time safety insights, and integrated data. Learn how fleets are improving uptime, safety outcomes, and operational efficiency.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Alstom Supplying TTC Subways, SilverRide Lands California Contracts, and More
Stay informed with these quick takes on the projects and companies driving progress across the transportation landscape.
Read More →
Forest River Working to Redefine Reliability, Responsibility in the Bus Industry
As the transportation landscape continues to evolve in the wake of the pandemic, few manufacturers have faced, or embraced, change as decisively as Forest River Bus.
Read More →
New York MTA Marks Record Year for Ridership, Performance in 2025
The subway, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad all recorded record-highs for on-time performance in 2025.
Read More →
Milwaukee County Transit Plus Riders Join WisGo in 2026
Transit Plus riders gain access to WisGo cards and mobile fare payment through the Umo app in 2026.
Read More →
Vancouver's TransLink Taps Spare to Improve Paratransit Service
Starting next week, HandyDART will also extend its hours to 2 a.m., improving service availability for customers and aligning more closely with SkyTrain operating hours.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Spare, Nova Bus, and More!
Biz Briefs covers the latest supplier news in the motorcoach and public transit industries.
Read More →
Florida's JTA Greenlights Major Fare Cuts for Bus, Paratransit Services
The JTA board also approved making Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation service complimentary, effective December 15.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Fare Collection, Motorcoach Orders, and More
Biz Briefs covers the latest supplier news in the motorcoach and public transit industries.
Read More →
