Transdev names new VP, Transit Division, for Southwest Region
In her new role, Katrina Heineking will be responsible for overseeing some of the company’s larger contracts, including operations and maintenance contracts for Foothill Transit, San Diego MTS, and Valley Metro.
Transdev announced that Katrina Heineking has been promoted from GM of Transdev’s contract with Valley Metro in Phoenix to regional VP, Transit Division, Southwest Region.
In her new role, Heineking will be responsible for overseeing some of the company’s larger contracts, including operations and maintenance contracts for Foothill Transit, San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System, Valley Metro, and paratransit operations for the Regional Transportation Commission in Las Vegas.
Heineking has held progressively senior positions managing transit agencies on all levels, starting in Zanesville, Ohio at the outset of her career before moving to the Charlotte Area Transit System as the asst. GM.
Since joining Transdev 12 years ago, she has helped expand service operations and oversaw the first LEED-certified transit facility in Tucson; lowered passenger complaints by 56%; and increased miles between road calls by 25% in Austin, Texas; and more recently implemented a 20% service expansion for the 900-employee Valley Metro transit operation in Phoenix.
Heineking is an avid public transit enthusiast, spending the entirety of her 21-year career involved with improving service at every level. Since 2008, she has served as a board member of the Arizona Public Transit Association, where she currently serves as president for the association. She also serves as board member of the Southwest Transit Association and the Friends of Transit Board in Phoenix.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.