July/August 2023 - 20

Andrew Arnes is the customer experience manager
at Pierce Transit, where he is responsible for planning,
organizing, managing and directing activities
that promote positive customer experiences
while working to strengthen the agency's brand
and reputation.
Shortly after Arnes joined Pierce Transit, the
Andrew Arnes
Customer
Experience
Manager
Pierce Transit
agency's rideshare program faced significant
challenges due to the pandemic, including a
substantial decrease in ridership and the need
to adapt to changing work schedules. Despite
these obstacles, Arnes recognized an opportunity
to transform one of the nation's largest
ridesharing programs and improve the customer
experience. Under his leadership, the rideshare
team worked tirelessly to revamp the program's
operational and service components, leading to
significant improvements in efficiency and customer
satisfaction.
Arnes has spearheaded several key initiatives
during his relatively short tenure at Pierce Transit,
including a fare analysis that resulted in a completely
new fare structure, and the implementation
of a part-time rider service and flexible daily rider
service. He also secured a regional rideshare incentive
program grant, designed and implementI
appreciate the opportunity to
make a positive impact on our
customers and the community. "
ed new program technologies, and made several
updates to the rider onboarding experience that
simplified and streamlined the process of joining
or starting a new rideshare group. In addition,
Arnes transitioned all remaining customer forms
online and implemented a new revenue and cost
recovery management tool.
Andrew's enthusiasm for the transportation industry
goes beyond his role at Pierce Transit. He
is also a vocal advocate for public transportation
and its importance to the community, demonstrating
his commitment to the industry's growth
and development.
Fast Fact: Colleagues say Andrew's
innovation in public transportation is
evident in the way he continuously seeks
to implement a customer first approach to
organizational decision making.
MassTransitmag.com/53067807
Andrew
Batson, AICP
Chief of Bureau
of Public
Transportation's
Transit Planning
and Project
Delivery Division
Pennsylvania
Department of
Transportation
As chief of the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation's (PennDOT) Bureau of Public
Transportation's Transit Planning and Project
Delivery Division since 2019, Andrew Batson,
AICP, is responsible for planning, financing and
delivering public transportation projects across
Pennsylvania, with more than $600 million in
annual state/federal funding. He works with
staff, consultants, planning partners and state
and federal agency officials to ensure projects
are designed and constructed and meet all state/
federal requirements.
Batson has actively controlled costs on significant
investments in transit infrastructure. He
consistently monitors transit projects to assure
projects are scaled appropriately and designed
to meet current and future needs and assures
that contractors and consultants are delivering
projects that maintain operational sustainability.
Batson worked for 10 years as a consultant in
the transit industry, where he worked on public
transportation projects throughout the U.S. requiring
a diverse set of technical skills. Project
Embrace new challenges,
especially those that are
outside your comfort zone. "
experience ranged from place-based feasibility
studies for rail stations, bus facilities and transfer
centers, to people-focused coordinated mobility
plans and transit needs studies.
Batson's high-level attention to detail and his
ability to manage multiple complex projects has
allowed PennDOT to advance long-standing transit
facility projects to completion. These projects
are modern facilities that benefit public transit
riders as transit agencies can protect and maintain
their assets to run reliable transportation service.
Batson has spoken at many transit industry events
and is apart of several national research panels.
Fast Fact: Batson attended a performing arts
high school.
MassTransitmag.com/53067806
20 Mass Transit | JULY/AUGUST 2023
http://www.MassTransitmag.com/53067807 http://www.MassTransitmag.com/53067806
July/August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2023
