Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority CEO Recommendations

The following recommendations were presented by members of Clevelanders for Public Transit at the GCRTA Board meeting on November 13, 2018:

GCRTA plays a key role in shaping the future of our community and in ensuring that Northeast Ohio is livable and accessible to all.

The search for new executive leadership offers a rare opportunity for positive change. This is a chance to develop and execute a holistic, positive vision for GCRTA and to highlight the ability of transit to make a positive contribution to our region. Under the right leadership, we believe GCRTA will improve the physical and social mobility of thousands and ultimately the economic, social and environmental health of Cuyahoga County.

While a healthy transit agency benefits the entire region, riders are the primary beneficiaries of a vibrant and healthy system. Riders have valuable insight into the rider experience and have first-hand knowledge of how transit can best serve our region.

As daily riders and transit advocates, we respectfully suggest the following guidelines for GCRTA’s next CEO.

The new GCRTA CEO should:

• Be fully dedicated to the CEO role. In order to maintain accountability, the General Manager and Secretary/Treasurer roles should be separate positions.
• Elevate community voices in planning and decision-making.
• Emphasize the importance of high capacity, frequent transit rather than attempting to replace fixed-route transit with ride-hailing services or autonomous vehicles.
• Be a nationally-recognized expert and industry leader in transit fundamentals including equitable transit-oriented development and multimodal first and last-mile connections such as bikeshare.
• Have experience building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders to coordinate planning and project initiatives.
• Demonstrate a commitment to equity as a guiding principle, including the impact of fare increases and route changes.
• Be a passionate transit advocate who recognizes that transit is first and foremost a public good, and not a profit-driven business.

We also request that the final candidates participate in a public forum and Q&A session.

Sincerely,

Clevelanders for Public Transit

County Council Representative Dale Miller

Cleveland City Council Representative Kerry McCormack