February 2023 - 9

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
CapMetro
Dottie Watkins, a native of Austin, Texas, who began working for
CapMetro as a part-time bus driver, has been named president and
CEO of the agency following approval by the CapMetro Board of
Directors on Jan. 30. Watkins has been serving as interim president
A ribbon cutting ceremony held on Jan. 23
marked the opening of the Pawtucket-Central
Falls Transit Center.
RIPTA
forms for northbound and southbound
service, a glass-enclosed pedestrian
bridge, elevators, ramps and stairs. Its
elegant design utilizes state-of-theart
composite panels with covered
waiting areas. The train station also
has a separate drop off area and set of
stairs and ramps to the platform on the
Barton Street side of the rail corridor.
The bus hub includes five berths with
covered shelters for passengers, with
arrivals and departures every two to
five minutes during peak hours.
MassTransitmag.com/21293404
and CEO since June 2022, and her appointment is effective immediately. Watkins
is credited with leading the effort to maintain transit operations and to continue
serving the community, even during the ensuing staffing shortage crisis throughout
the COVID-19 pandemic.
MassTransitmag.com/21294098
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA)
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) appointed
Frank White III as the permanent president and CEO. In August of
2022, White was unanimously named to the interim CEO position by
the 10-member KCATA Board of Commissioners. White was hired at
KCATA in 2016 as a senior marketing manager and ascended the agency ranks,
including roles of chief marketing officer, director of strategic planning and
development and vice president of the RideKC Development Corporation.
MassTransitmag.com/21293881
Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX)
The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) Board
of Directors selected Tiffany Homler Hawkins to lead the agency
as chief executive officer. Hawkins has been serving as interim
CEO since August 2022 when James E. Harrison unexpectedly died.
The government of Canada will help fund OC
Transpo's transition to a fully zero-emission fleet.
City of Ottawa
Government of Canada invests
C$350 million in Ottawa's
zero-emission transit fleet
▶ The government of Canada is providing
the city of Ottawa, Ontario, with
C$350 million (US$260 million) in federal
funding through the Zero-Emission
Transit Fund. The federal funding will
help the city's transit entity, OC Transpo,
purchase up to 350 zero-emission
buses and supporting charging infrastructure.
The new vehicles will replace
diesel-powered buses, and the city will
install the required charging infrastructure,
build a new vehicle storage
facility, upgrade two existing ones and
purchase other related infrastructure
Hawkins has worked with or for the agency for more than 20 years, most recently
as chief administrative officer overseeing the planning, marketing, grants and
government affairs teams. The board credited her with bringing a calming presence
during the interim period.
MassTransitmag.com/21293877
Valley Regional Transit (VRT)
The Valley Regional Transit Board of Directors voted to hire Elaine
Clegg as the agency's chief executive officer. Clegg began her
new role Feb. 13 and replaced Kelli Badesheim, who retired after
22 years leading the Treasure Valley's regional public transportation
authority. Clegg previously served as president of the Boise City Council,
where she held various leadership positions on the VRT Board of Directors and
Executive Board.
MassTransitmag.com/21292016
to maintain and operate the battery-electric
buses. The first of four
zero-emission buses entered service
on OC Transpo's network in early 2022,
about six months after the Ottawa City
Council approved the transit provider's
plan to procure solely zero-emission
buses, with the goal of having a fully
zero-emission fleet by 2036.
MassTransitmag.com/21293129
FEBRUARY 2023 | MassTransitmag.com 9
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February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2023
