Special Insight: WSP USA's Walker-Ford Shares Insight on Improving Transit Equity, Ridership
WSP USA Hires Joseph Black for Leadership Role
Joseph Black has more than 30 years of experience in rail and bus operations in the U.S.
March 20, 2023
Joseph Black is a graduate of Villanova University with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Photo: WSP USA/METRO
1 min to read
WSP USA announced it has hired Joseph Black to join its national Transit and Rail business as sr. VP and lead for the rail operations and service planning team, according to the company's news release.
Black has more than 30 years of experience in rail and bus operations in the U.S., having worked for agencies such as Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Lone Star Rail, and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.
“Joe is an excellent fit for this role with great experience as an operator, project lead and consultancy manager,” said Jannet Walker-Ford, WSP’s SVP. “He has an exceptional understanding of the challenges facing rail operations and has a history of goal-focused solution development for agencies and operators across the U.S.”
Black’s background includes experience in rail operations and maintenance, leadership of multi-disciplinary technical, advisory and safety teams, and business operations such as organizational change and effective team building.
His most recent role was a senior rail project/program executive with a large international engineering firm, where he brought his deep knowledge of rail operations and maintenance to the project delivery sphere, helping to ensure that projects, from planning through design and construction, consider operating impacts of system and infrastructure elements.
More Rail
NJ TRANSIT Secures Capital Funding, Adopts FY2027 Budget
The budgets continue investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair and enhance the overall customer experience.
Read More →
Biz Briefs: Masabi Teams with St. Louis Metro and More
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at recent news from Transdev, Hitachi, and more partnerships making headlines across the transportation sector.
Read More →
Metra Begins Drone Pilot Project to Boost Safety and Security
The project is funded through a $620,000 grant from FEMA’s Transit Security Grant Program, which provides transit agencies with funding for projects intended to protect critical transportation infrastructure and the traveling public.
Read More →
Austin Transit Partnership Selects Stadler to Manufacture Light Rail Vehicles
The award marks the conclusion of a series of major procurements over 18 months, as outlined in ATP’s delivery plan, and keeps Austin Light Rail on track.
Read More →
The Heart Behind Austin's Light Rail
Why Austin Transit Partnership's Operations and Maintenance Facility could become the most important building in the city's first light rail system.
Read More →
June LA Metro Ridership Surges 2 Million Year Over Year
Total June ridership increased for both weekdays and weekends. Weekday ridership was 953,820, which grew 8.4% from June 2025; Saturdays increased nearly 13% year-over-year to 708,826; and Sundays increased 7.7% to 611,534 from June 2025, according to LA Metro.
Read More →
Keolis and SNCF Voyageurs Bring Rail Expertise to California High-Speed Rail
The CDA establishes a collaborative predevelopment partnership intended to evaluate future delivery opportunities through public-private partnership models.
Read More →
Stadler Marks 10 Years in the U.S. with Salt Lake City Expansion
The expansion is expected to create up to 300 new local jobs, some of which are youth apprenticeships, said Stadler officials.
Read More →
MBTA Selects STV to Support Battery-Electric Locomotive Procurement
The firm's seven-year contract includes end-to-end support from bid review and selection through procurement, production, and testing.
Read More →
Executive Order Aims to Improve Transit Access Across California
The order directs state agencies to streamline transit project delivery, improve coordination, and expand access to bus and passenger rail services across California.
Read More →